We’ve been hearing a lot concerning the effects of Ozempic currently, from rapid weight reduction and lowered blood pressure to persistent vomiting and “Ozempic face.”
We are currently seeing an increase in stories about “Children from Ozempic” where women taking medications like Ozempic (semaglutide) report unexpected pregnancies.
But does semaglutide (also sold as Wegovy) improve fertility? And in that case, how? Here’s what we all know to date.
Remind me what Ozempic is?
Ozempic and related medicines (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1-RA) were developed to assist control blood glucose levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes.
But the explanation Ozempic huge popularity all around the world that is it promotes weight reduction by slowing down stomach emptying and reducing appetite.
Ozempic is prescribed in Australia as a treatment for diabetes. This is currently not approved treat obesity but some doctors prescribe it “off label” to assist people shed pounds. Wegovy (higher dose of semaglutide) is approved to be used in Australia to treat obesity, but shouldn’t be yet available.
How does obesity affect fertility?
Obesity affects well-adjusted hormonal balance which regulates the menstrual cycle.
Women whose body mass index (BMI) exceeds 27 are 3 times more likely than normal weight women cannot get pregnant because they are less prone to ovulate.
Metabolic conditions of type 2 diabetes i Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are related to obesity and fertility problems.
Women with type 2 diabetes are more likely than other women to be obese and experience health problems fertility problems and miscarriage.
Similarly, women with PCOS are more prone to be obese and trouble conceiving than other women attributable to hormonal imbalances that cause irregular menstrual cycles.
Men suffer from obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome (a set of conditions that increase the danger of heart disease and stroke). negative effects for fertility.
Low testosterone levels attributable to obesity or type 2 diabetes may affect semen quality.
So how can Ozempic affect fertility?
Weight loss is advisable for obese people to scale back the danger of health problems. Because weight reduction can alleviate irregular periods, it may additionally increase chance of pregnancy in women with obesity.
This is why weight reduction and improved metabolism that is the almost certainly reason why women taking Ozempic report unexpected pregnancies.
However, women taking Ozempic and the contraceptive pill have also reported unexpected pregnancies. This has led some experts to suggest that some GLP-1-RAs may affect pill absorption and make it less effective. However, it shouldn’t be certain whether there’s a link between Ozempic and contraceptive failure.
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In men with type 2 diabetes, obesity and low testosterone levels, medications like Ozempic have been shown to assist promising results for weight reduction and increasing testosterone levels.
Avoid Ozempic for those who are attempting to get pregnant
It shouldn’t be clear whether semaglutide could also be harmful while pregnant. However, this is usually recommended by data from animal studies mustn’t be used while pregnant attributable to the potential risk of fetal defects.
This is why Therapeutic Goods Administration recommends that ladies of childbearing potential use contraception while taking semaglutide.
Similarly, PCOS guidelines Healthcare professionals should be certain that women with PCOS using Ozempic use effective contraception.
Guidelines advisable discontinuation of semaglutide for at the very least two months before planning a pregnancy.
If you are taking Ozempic to treat diabetes, it will be important that you simply seek advice about other options for controlling your blood glucose levels when attempting to change into pregnant.
What happens for those who get pregnant while taking Ozempic?
For women who change into pregnant while taking Ozempic, it could be difficult to determine what to do. This decision could also be much more complicated given the drug’s unknown potential effects on the fetus.
Although little scientific data is out there, findings include: observational studies pregnant women with type 2 diabetes who took antidiabetic drugs, including GLP-1-RA, is optimistic. This study didn’t show a large increased risk of major birth defects within the babies born.
Women considering or currently using semaglutide before, during, or after pregnancy should seek the advice of their doctor about the perfect approach to treat their condition.
When are pregnancies plannedwomen can take steps to enhance their baby’s health, comparable to taking folic acid before conception to scale back the danger of neural tube defects and quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.
While unexpected pregnancies and “Ozempic babies” could also be welcomed, their moms didn’t have the chance to take these steps and provides them the perfect start in life.