Physicians and researchers say more data is needed on pregnancy outcomes in patients taking GLP-1s as a growing number of women turn to the class of weight loss medications in hopes of reducing their risk of pregnancy complications or increasing their chance of conceiving, Bloomberg reported April 18.
"The 'oops' babies on Ozempic and Wegovy are happening all over the place," Melanie Cree-Green, MD, PhD, director of the polycystic ovary syndrome clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, told the news outlet. "It's very exciting, but it's a bit scary because we're moving forward without all the data."
Increasingly, experts say women who have struggled with infertility are becoming pregnant after being on weight loss drugs. As a result, some physicians are turning to the drugs to treat polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, one of the leading causes of infertility in the U.S.
At the same time, little is known about how the medications may affect pregnancy outcomes, and drugmakers have not systematically studied their use with respect to PCOS.
Andrea Shields, MD, vice chair of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' committee on clinical guidelines, previously told The New York Times that the medical community is "all just kind of holding our breath" until more research in humans is available.
In the meantime, researchers are conducting smaller studies of their own on the use of GLP-1s for infertility and how they may affect pregnancy outcomes. The FDA has also asked Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to create registries and collect data on those who become pregnant while taking the drugs, though results from either have yet to be shared.
In February, one study found that women with Type 2 diabetes who were taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists when they conceived or in early pregnancy did not have a greater risk of major congenital malformations compared to those taking insulin. While the results were promising, researchers said more confirmation is needed, including in women who do not have diabetes.
Additionally, some animal studies have indicated the medications may harm a fetus, which experts say may be a concern if people are still taking the drugs not realizing they are pregnant.
As the industry awaits more data, physicians typically recommend women stop taking the drugs at least two months before trying to conceive. Wegovy's label states people should stop taking the drug at least two months before trying to get pregnant, while Zepbound's label says people who become pregnant should stop taking the drug.