'Ozempic babies' explained as weight-loss drug users warned of surprising side effect
Topics: Ozempic, Weight loss, Mounjaro, Health
Kiesha Dosanjh
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Ozempic, Weight loss, Mounjaro, Health
With the rise of people using GPL-1 drug Ozempic to aid weight loss, a number of reported side effects continue to come to light.
Ozempic is a drug intended to be used by people with type two diabetes to help lower their blood sugar levels, although many have adopted it to aid weight loss.
From Ozempic butt, to Ozempic breath, a number of side effects have been reported from users. There’s now a new one - Ozempic babies.
A number of women taking the drug are reporting to falling unexpectedly pregnant.
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However, despite the name 'Ozempic babies,' it's not the only drug where women reporting experiencing the side effect.
Users of other GPL-1 drugs, including Mounjaro are also reporting the change.
In short, 'Ozempic babies' refers to women on Ozempic, or similar drugs, reporting pregnancies.
However, it's not just women, as its said to also increase fertility in men, Cleveland Clinic reports.
Some wouldn’t consider this a bad side effect at all, in fact, it would greatly help some.
However, Cleveland Clinic stresses that it’s important to ‘to note that GLP-1 agonists aren’t fertility treatments.’
“If you’re experiencing infertility these are not your magic potions for getting pregnant," experts say.
As these drugs are relatively new, research on the area is still limited.
Parenting data economist, Professor Emily Oster, spoke about the topic on the Oversharing podcast, adding: “You will certainly see a lot of discussion on TikTok from people who were taking Ozempic and got pregnant by accident. We’re still working out what’s going on there.”
As Body Mass Index affects fertility, losing weight via weight loss drugs such as Ozempic could improve your chances of conceiving, doctors say.
“We know that each BMI point above 29 decreases female fertility by about 5%. That’s pretty significant,” Dr. McIntosh tells Cleavland Clinic - adding that weight loss medications can boost feritlity.
Doctors also state that Ozempic and similar drugs could affect the effectiveness of contraception.
“Birth control pills are absorbed by your body similar to how your body absorbs food. They need to be metabolized to work,” Dr. McIntosh says.
However, these drugs work by slowing absorption down, therefore, contraceptive pills may not be absorbed as well, leading to them becoming less efficient.
As always, those with any concerns or queries should contact their doctor.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, the creators of Ozempic, said in a statement to UNILAD: "There is limited data with semaglutide use in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk for adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. Semaglutide injection (Ozempic®, Wegovy®▼) should be discontinued in women at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy due to the long washout period for semaglutide. Semaglutide should not be used during pregnancy. Women of childbearing potential are recommended to use contraception when treated with semaglutide.
In other pharmacology trials, semaglutide did not affect the absorption of oral medications (including the oral contraceptive medication ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel) to any clinically relevant degree. Therefore semaglutide is not anticipated to decrease the effect of oral contraceptives. Nonetheless, caution should be exercised when oral medications are concomitantly administered with semaglutide."