Ozempic 'Baby Boom' Explained by Doctor

People taking Ozempic and related weight loss drugs have been experiencing an unlikely side effect. Across social media, women have reported getting pregnant while taking Ozempic despite being on birth control at the time.

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"POV: You had infertility issues and lost 2 babies only to find out Ozempic gets everybody pregnant," TikTok couple Ju and Chan said in a video showing off their new baby. The video has received 4.3 million views and hundreds of comments from women sharing similar experiences.

"I got pregnant 2 weeks after starting Ozempic. I'm 39 and had been trying for 16 years," said one user.

Ozempic is an injectable prescription drug developed to manage blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes. However, the diabetes drug has surged in popularity because of a sought-after side effect: weight loss.

Ozempic is based on a naturally occurring human hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which plays an important role in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. Its active ingredient is a molecule called semaglutide, which mimics the structure of this GLP-1 hormone and activates its receptors.

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By activating these receptors, semaglutide induces feelings of fullness while delaying the emptying of our stomach, making us feel less hungry and therefore less likely to overeat.

Semaglutide is also the basis of Ozempic's sister drug, Wegovy, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for chronic weight management. Between the start of 2020 and the end of 2022, prescriptions of GLP-1 mimic medications like semaglutide increased by 300 percent across the U.S., according to health care analytics company Trilliant Health.

The drug has since been endorsed by celebrities and influencers, with the hashtag #ozempic reaching over 1.4 billion views on TikTok.

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The most common side effects of this medication are bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort. However, increasingly women are reporting that they unexpectedly get pregnant after starting the treatment, creating what has been dubbed an "Ozempic baby boom."

Newsweek spoke to Jamie Winn of the online pharmacy Universal Drugstore to find out what is behind the rise of "Ozempic babies."

"Ozempic may interfere with the absorption of oral contraceptives, which can reduce their effectiveness and lead to an unwanted pregnancy," he said.

In other words, just as Ozempic can slow down the movement and absorption of food in the digestive system, it may also slow down the absorption of medication, including birth control.

"If you are taking Ozempic and an oral contraceptive, it is recommended that you also use a barrier method of birth control such as a condom," Winn told Newsweek. "Another option is to switch to a long-acting reversible contraceptive such as an IUD."

Weight loss itself may also affect fertility. "If people are losing weight and regaining ovulation, there is a risk of pregnancy if they're not properly counseled," Alyse Goldberg, an endocrinologist and fertility specialist at the University of Toronto, told the journal Nature.

But are there any risks to becoming pregnant while on this medication?

"While Ozempic may increase fertility, caution should be taken if you get pregnant while on this medication," Winn said. "There is not enough information on the use of Ozempic by pregnant women, and there were adverse outcomes in animal studies. Pregnant rats that were given Ozempic had an increased rate of fetal death and birth defects.

"Because it can take up to six weeks for Ozempic to be cleared from your body, it is recommended that you stop Ozempic at least two months before you plan on getting pregnant," he continued. "If you become pregnant or think you are pregnant while on Ozempic, stop taking the medication and call your health care provider immediately."

Winn said the evidence for an Ozempic "baby boom" is still anecdotal, but if you are taking semaglutide, be aware of its potential impacts on fertility.

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