‘Ozempic babies:’ Popular weight loss drugs causing surprise pregnancies

Women who have struggled with infertility, are on birth control, or thought they were past their childbearing years are getting pregnant while taking popular weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, PEOPLE reported on Friday.

The phenomenon, dubbed “Ozempic babies,” has prompted women to share their experiences on social media, discussing how their weight loss journey unexpectedly intersected with pregnancy.

“Thanks to Ozempic…this went from a weight loss journey to a pregnancy journal,” content creator Raven Rechelle shared on TikTok.

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Women who have endured years of infertility are finding new hope through these weight loss medications. These groundbreaking treatments not only aid in shedding excess weight but also offer a promising pathway for women battling infertility.

“Since my last pregnancy required a lengthy fertility process, I assumed, at 40! It couldn’t be. Well, I’m pregnant! It wasn’t what we were planning but a welcome surprise,” one woman shared on the Ozempic subreddit.

“I’ve been infertile for 14 years and after 2 months of taking OZ I am now pregnant… so shocking to say the least,” another woman added.

“I’ve struggled with infertility issues because of PCOS/ insulin resistance/obesity and while I’m still overweight, I finally got a positive test!” shared another.

In the meantime, even women who are taking precautions to prevent pregnancy are finding themselves unexpectedly pregnant.

“I was on birth control and this pregnancy was very much unplanned. I have a long history of miscarriages and a stillbirth and had decided to stop trying to conceive two years ago, and during that time started Ozempic and lost 70 pounds,” a woman shared on Reddit.

“I got pregnant on Ozempic & was on the pill! Baby boy is due in June,” one woman commented on a TikTok.

According to PEOPLE, these pregnancies are leading experts to question the drug’s impact on the efficiency of birth control.

Obstetrician and gynecologist, and Director of Obesity Medicine at the Bariatrics Department at Northwell, Dr. Iman Saleh told PEOPLE that there may be an interaction between how the weight loss medication works and how birth control is processed in the body.

“There is a component with the decreased gastric emptying or the slowing of the gut. As we use these medications to make people make fuller, the absorption changes in our body. And therefore, the absorption of patients on birth control can affect the efficacy of the birth control.”

A TikTok user who got pregnant on Ozempic, said that her doctor mentioned she might be more fertile on the drug.

“I’ve actually seen a few patients of mine that have come in after a couple of months of usage of the medication for weight loss and have these surprise babies or surprise pregnancies,” Dr. Saleh added.

According to Dr. Saleh, the key ingredient these medications is semaglutide, which functions in the brain to influence feelings of fullness. Approved by the FDA for Type 2 diabetes under the brand name Ozempic, and marketed as Wegovy for obesity treatment, it’s identical for both uses. Its popularity, particularly among celebrities, has surged as a rapid weight loss solution.

When it comes to pregnancy, Dr. Saleh told PEOPLE that these medications work in a “roundabout way.” She said, “Even if it’s a five, ten lbs. weight loss, this can actually have patients resume ovulation and be able to get pregnant.”

“Our fat cells produce estrogen and estrogen can have a negative effect on our ovaries in terms of decreased or dysfunction of ovulation. It can also have negative effects on our endometrial lining,” Dr. Saleh said.

“Once you lose that weight, even if it’s very slight, they become more fertile and get pregnant,” she added.

This widespread medical phenomenon has prompted Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of these medications, to establish a Wegovy Pregnancy Registry that allows patients and healthcare providers to document surprise pregnancies that have occurred on the medication.

Novo Nordisk sent a statement to PEOPLE that read, “pregnancy or intention to become pregnant were exclusion criteria in our trials with semaglutide in both obesity and type 2 diabetes.”

“There are therefore limited clinical trial data with semaglutide use in pregnant women.” the statement added.

According to PEOPLE, the rise of “Ozempic babies” has inspired a study that is currently underway to investigate the impact of Wegovy exposure during pregnancy. The study is expected to be completed in August 2027.

Wegovy website notes that the medication “may cause fetal harm” and is advising women to stop taking the medication once they find out they are pregnant.