As the popularity of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs for weight loss has increased, we’ve seen more and more reports about unexpected fertility outcomes after using medications like Ozempic. Couples and single mothers by choice are finding themselves suddenly pregnant, and the common denominator seems to be the weekly injections that mimic hormones.
Originally intended for type 2 diabetes patients, Ozempic and others like it have been repurposed by people looking to shed pounds as these drugs suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar. They’ve been especially helpful for women with PCOS, menopause, and similar conditions that complicate family planning and/or stagnate weight loss.
This craze isn’t necessarily unwarranted: it’s led to healthier BMIs for thousands, but not without a cost—physically, financially, and socially. Gastrointestinal side effects, industry price-gouging, and an alarming supply shortage for those with diabetes are just a handful of the issues we’ve encountered in the last year-plus.
However, there are still lots of variables involved when taking a drug like Ozempic. While its effects can improve fertility, it shouldn’t be used as an infertility treatment.
First, the Good News
It’s hard to ignore the wave of Ozempic users who were dealing with infertility, began losing weight, and found themselves jumping for joy over a positive pregnancy test within the span of several months. Many are finally becoming parents after so much heartache, thanks in part to the hormone changes that result from these medications.
How It Works
Medications like Ozempic help with weight loss by mimicking the hormones that signal fullness. The idea is to tell your brain you’ve had enough to eat, even if you haven’t. By taking in fewer calories, your body is forced to burn stored fat molecules for energy, which is called glycolysis.
During this process, other hormones are produced that can impact the levels of estrogen and progesterone that help regulate your menstrual cycle, potentially making your cycle more regular and increasing your fertility.
Ozempic Under the Microscope
As someone who struggled with infertility for 16 long months, it’s great that GLP-1’s are possibly helping increase the fertility of people with a high BMI. But as a scientist, I want to make it clear that we still don’t know the lasting impacts of these drugs on both the mother and baby during pregnancy.
Some people are actively using GLP-1 medications at the same time they’re finding out they’ve conceived, and those early days of pregnancy then overlap with their GLP-1 regimen. It’s important to talk to your doctor if this happens, as the overlap of the medication could be harmful to the egg once it is fertilized.
This is why these medications are not recommended to be taken at the same time as someone is trying to conceive. In fact, studies recommend that patients use contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy while taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
The Research
There’s not enough data yet to clearly illustrate the impact of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Wegovy on a developing fetus, but recent animal studies indicate side effects such as lower birth weight and impaired nutrient absorption. This could potentially contribute to malformations and other complications for a baby, and outright pregnancy loss has already been directly observed in rodents.
These rodent studies can’t be ethically conducted in humans, so we must rely on outcomes of patients who have delivered a baby with GLP-1 exposure. Due to the lack of information, scientists are trying to capture data relating to cases of Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist exposure during pregnancy to understand the implications of these drugs in humans. As people voluntarily self-identify and describe their firsthand experience following the delivery of an Ozempic baby, we can begin to understand the true impacts of these drugs during pregnancy.
Our lack of data tells me we should play it safe until more is known about this association. The risks are higher than any reward, which is why doctors discourage pregnant individuals from continuing with GLP-1 medications once they conceive, even suggesting to cease use for two months before trying with counseling on the risks of fetal exposure as a precaution.
A Safer Alternative
While the benefits of people with a high BMI going on GLP-1’s does include increased fertility, it’s not from the drugs themselves, it’s from the benefits of losing the weight.
I was obese when I was going through infertility, and the fat-shaming I experienced was real. Even though I strived to lose the weight, it ultimately wasn’t the reason for my unexplained infertility. GLP-1’s might help you lose weight long before you conceive, but they are not a quick cure for infertility.
When I was problem-solving my own infertility, my doctor outlined an uncovered and expensive treatment path, without a known cause for my infertility. As a scientist, I dove in and tried to find out what else I could try - at home first - to maximize our chances of conception before heading down the path of IUI and IVF.
I then researched the power of intracervical insemination (ICI) and patented a self-insemination kit that truly puts control back in your hands to deliver sperm directly to the cervix. During intercourse, only 1% of sperm reach the cervix. ICI places sperm much farther than intercourse, and only one inch below where IUI does. This makes ICI a non-invasive and cost-effective way to increase the odds of conception, and is what I used to conceive my daughter. ICI with PherDal has been the missing piece of the fertility puzzle for so many families, including those affected by endocrine disorders like PCOS.
100% Guaranteed Sterile
From manufacturing to packaging to shipping, we keep our ICI kits 100% guaranteed sterile so they arrive at your door clean, prepped, and ready to use. You don’t have to worry about an intensive step-by-step process or having a lot of people in the room. PherDal helps get sperm closer to the egg and removes the variables, so you can let nature do its thing, only better (with a little help from a PherDal ICI syringe).
Designed for Comfort
About that syringe: it’s needleless, which means there’s no pinching or prodding involved like with semaglutide injections. Just you, a collection cup, and a sensibly smooth applicator made from IVF-grade plastic cleared by the FDA to allow you to collect, insert, and conceive. This totally sterile set of tools has been perfected over years of careful design, providing you with the support you deserve to conceive naturally.
Cleared by the FDA
PherDal earned FDA clearance in December of 2023. In the years since, PherDal’s ICI kit has been helping create new families all over by giving them the best shot at success before trying more clinical treatments.
Potential Fertility Gains > Troubled Weight Loss
The link between Ozempic and improved fertility odds is definitely intriguing. But as someone with a science background and an unexplained infertility diagnosis who was obese while trying to conceive, I’m not comfortable with signing off on this just yet. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about GLP-1’s ability to benefit infertile people who are looking to get pregnant sooner rather than later, and before conception occurs to minimize exposure to your future child.
Bottom line, if you want to use medications like Ozempic for weight loss, great! Just do it long before you decide to conceive so you don’t expose your baby to side effects. Ready to conceive now? Try PherDal. Our ICI kit gives you control over your fertility journey.
