‘Ozempic babies’ at risk of harm as weight loss jabs ‘raise chance of miscarriage and defects’
WEIGHT loss jabs might increase the risk of birth defects and miscarriage if used by women trying to get pregnant, experts have warned.
Some women have reportedly become pregnant unexpectedly after taking semaglutide, the main ingredient in drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.
This has led to some doctors in the US prescribing the medicine to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), one of the leading causes of infertility in women.
However, British scientists have warned these jabs could cause birth defects and should not be taken within two months of trying to conceive.
Weight loss, on the whole, can increase fertility because being overweight can interfere with hormone levels.
But semaglutide has never been tested on pregnant women, so we don’t know how it would affect them or their babies.
Research on pregnant animals, however, suggests it can be toxic and can lead to miscarriage and abnormalities.
Tricia Tan, from the department of metabolism, digestion and reproduction at Imperial College London, said: “Women need to know that these drugs should not be used during pregnancy.
“Animal studies did show that the animal babies born to animals who were given these medications had problems.”
She added: “We do need research on this area to understand how we can deploy these drugs effectively and safely.
“This will help us to address the needs of women with obesity who want to have babies so that we can improve their health, help them to have a safe pregnancy and deliver healthy children.”
Novo Nordisk, Wegovy’s manufacturer, does not recommend it for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
It also says that women wanting to get pregnant should stop taking it two months before trying to conceive.
The jabs work by mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which suppresses appetite and helps people to feel full and stop them overeating,
In the US, where weight-loss jabs are more commonly used, women have started to share stories of their “Ozempic babies” (as they’ve been dubbed on social media).
‘It’s nothing special about the drug’
Experts believe this new phenomenon could be down to the major weight loss associated with the drug.
This is because any weight loss, especially in those with PCOS, is known to boost fertility.
The drug may also increase the chance of pregnancy because side effects such as nausea and vomiting may stop contraceptive pills from being absorbed properly.
Dr Nerys Astbury, nutrition scientist and senior researcher in diet and obesity at the University of Oxford, said it was “plausible” semaglutide injections, by reducing people’s weight, could help improve fertility.
“It’s nothing special about the drug,” she told the newspaper. “The effect the drug has is on promoting weight loss.
“It is important to note that whilst some doctors are prescribing semaglutide off-label to women with PCOS, it is not clear whether it’s safe to use in women during pregnancy.”
She added” It should not be used as a method to treat infertility until research demonstrating safety and effectiveness is available, and until regulatory approval for use in those before and during pregnancy.”
Prof Barbara McGowan, from King’s College London, added: “Women on GLP-1 agonists should take contraception whilst they take the medication and stop at least two months before trying for fertility.”
“Healthcare professionals should include this advice when the medication is started.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
What you should know about Ozempic, Wegovy, Saxenda and Mounjaro
Weight loss jabs are a hot media topic at the moment, with hundreds of success stories sharing how they helped them shed the pounds.
In March 2023, the NHS announced it would make Wegovy, a drug made by Danish firm Novo Nordisk, available on prescription to thousands of obese Brits.
It contains the drug semaglutide, which is said to have helped reality star Kim Kardashian and Twitter boss Elon Musk lose weight.
Wegovy, which helped a third of people reduce their weight by 20 per cent in trials, is now available from pharmacies like Boots.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less calories and therefore lose weight.
To do this, an ingredient found in the fat-busting drug, known as Semaglutide, mimics the role of a natural hormone, called GLP-1.
GLP-1 is part of the signalling pathway that tells your body you have eaten, and prepares it to use the energy that comes from your food.
London GP and founder of wellgoodwellbeing.com, Dr Zoe Watson, said: “Your body naturally produces an appetite regulating hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1.
“These jabs work by regulating your appetite, which can lead to eating fewer calories and losing weight.”
Aren’t they diabetes drugs?
Semaglutide, the active drug in Wegovy, was originally sold under the name Ozempic specifically for diabetes patients.
But they started noticing it helped suppress their appetites, stopping them eating as much and helping them shed the pounds.
So Novo Nordisk developed Wegovy, which contains the same chemical but at higher doses specifically to aid weight loss.
Wegovy is not prescribed for diabetes patients.
Can I get them?
Wegovy is offered on prescription to obese adults given specialist weight loss treatment.
The NHS currently also offers a similar drug called Saxenda, or liraglutide.
Both are only available on Tier 3 and Tier 4 weight management services, which means you have to be referred to weight management clinics led by experts.
GPs can’t prescribe them on their own either, Dr Watson said.
The jabs have to be taken as part of an overall programme to help with lifestyle changes and psychological support to get the best effect from the medication prescribed.
But despite being approved for use, supply of Wegovy on the NHS has been postponed indefinitely because of a surge in worldwide demand.
Supply was also halved in the US because of the skyrocketing demand.
Are there any risks?
Like all medicines, the jabs do not come without side effects.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, thyroid tumours, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
What other options are there?
Mounjaro (brand name for tirzepatide) also came onto the market in early 2024.
Like Wegovy, tirzepatide stems from a drug originally designed to treat diabetes.
The weekly injection helped overweight people drop more than two stone in 18 months.
It is available with to order with a prescription online from pharmacies including Superdrug and LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor.
It works in a similar way to Wegovy and Saxenda, but is more effective.
Dr Mitra Dutt from LloydsPharmacy says: “Based on clinical trials, 96 per cent of people were able to lose more than five per cent of their body fat using Mounjaro. In similar trials, 84 per cent of people lost more than five per cent of their body weight on Wegovy, and 60 per cent on Saxenda.
“Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity, and work to decrease food intak