‘Ozempic babies’ are on the rise: Are these weight-loss drugs boosting fertility?

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

Posts such as these are flooding Reddit, TikTok and other social media platforms, spawning a trend known as ‘Ozempic Babies’. Women are reporting that they are experiencing an increase in fertility on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. But is that even possible?

We explore this deeper and investigate if these weight-loss drugs that contain semaglutide have the side-effect of boosting fertility among women.

‘Ozempic babies’ trend on social media

‘Ozempic Babies’ is a trend across social media where women are chronicling how taking Ozempic or Mounjaro has boosted their fertility, leading to pregnancies.

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

One user wrote on Reddit, “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.”

Another Redditor wrote, “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.”

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A famous TikToker, Raven Rechelle, also wrote on the popular video-sharing app, “Thanks to Ozempic… This went from a weight loss journey to a pregnancy journal.”

And her video, spawned many responses from moms-to-be in the same situation. “I was told I was infertile after my second C-section,” one wrote. “I took Ozempic for four months and boom — pregnant.”

“Yes girl same!!” a second chimed in. “I had PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and infertility issues for years. On Ozempic for two months and BAM!”

Deb Oliviara, 32, shared with USAToday her experience. She said that she started taking Ozempic the day after Thanksgiving to lose excess weight that had been affecting her mental health. She wasn’t consistent with taking her birth control pill, but that didn’t concern her much because she has a history of unidentified fertility issues that has made it difficult to get pregnant. Just two months after starting the medication, and the same week she hit her goal weight, Oliviara learned she was pregnant.

Other women also shared how they have already given birth to their ‘Ozempic babies’. “My surprise Ozempic baby is almost four months old and thankfully very healthy!” said one on TikTok.

Ozempic, fertility boost, and pregnancies

And it’s not just mothers and mothers-to-be that are reporting this. Medical experts, namely reproductive ones, are noticing a similar trend. Dr Iman Saleh, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, told People, “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.”

So, this begs the question: Does Ozempic and Wegovy and similar weight-loss drugs really increase fertility?

These drugs, while intended for treating diabetes, has become popular across the world for its efficacy in treating obesity. These popular weight-loss drugs both contain an active ingredient in these medications called semaglutide, which impacts the area of the brain that controls satiety.

Scientifically, obesity has known to interfere with fertility. Reproductive endocrinologist and OB/GYN Dr Lucky Sekhon explained in a report to Parade that obesity can interfere with ovulation, reduce egg quality and make the lining of the uterus less receptive to an implanting embryo. “Reducing weight — whether it is through lifestyle, GLP-1 agonist medications like Ozempic or surgical procedures like bariatric surgery — can help to restore normal hormonal balance, reduce insulin resistance and at times help to regulate the menstrual cycle. That can produce an environment more conducive to embryo implantation.”

Other medical experts also shared similar views. They stated that from a scientific perspective, these medications may make it easier for people to get pregnant.

Board-certified neurologist Dr Tom Pitts told NewsNation that several conditions like PCOS creates insulin resistance and that’s why a woman can be infertile. “So by correcting that, you promote fertility,” Pitts said.

“It will clear obstacles in the way like insulin resistance, for example, and obesity, which will increase estrogen levels and make reproduction harder. So it’ll facilitate fertility,” he added.

Dr Saleh also concurred. Speaking to People, she said, “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.”

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

Dr Utsavi Shah, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology specialising in obesity medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, further explained that these weight-loss drugs’ effect are helping regulate their menstrual cycles, thereby increasing their chances of getting pregnant.

Other experts have also noted that drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro also affects birth control pills. They note that these drugs contain an active ingredient called tirzepatide, which lessens the effectiveness of oral contraception such as birth control pills. They further stated that Mounjaro and Zepbound make the stomach take longer to clear out, which can impact how oral medications are absorbed in the body.

Dr Sekhon told the Parade, “Mounjaro and Zepbound have a more profound impact on gastric emptying,” she said, “Slower gastric emptying can lead to less absorption of oral contraceptives and can theoretically reduce their efficacy.”

There’s also the blood sugar angle. It’s well-known among medical professionals that managing blood sugar effectively can improve the likelihood of conception for women aiming to get pregnant. Since Ozempic is used to regulate blood sugar, any indirect effects on fertility may stem from better overall health and metabolic control, which seems more likely than the drug itself enhancing reproductive capabilities.

Not without risks

However, medical experts have pointed out that using or contemplating the use of these drugs needs to have a cautious approach.

Citing animal testing, they point to potential risks such as birth defects and increased chances of pregnancy loss.

Dr Allison Rodgers, an OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinologist at Fertility Centers of Illinois was quoted telling USAToday that while drugs like Ozempic could make it easier to get pregnant, they should not be used to try and increase the chances of having a baby. “There could be dangerous consequences if taken while pregnant given the drugs can linger in your system.”

In fact, Ozempic itself states that people should discontinue the drug for at least two months prior to becoming pregnant to allow sufficient time for the drug to be eliminated from their bodies. And Wegovy provides a similar warning, adding that it may cause harm to the foetus and should be discontinued as soon as someone knows they are pregnant.

Importantly, Ozempic maker, Novo Nordisk , has even established a FDA-approved Wegovy Pregnancy Registry, in which both patients and providers could report any pregnancies that have occurred while taking the medication.

With inputs from agencies