Weight loss medications such as Ozempic and semaglutide analogues may increase fertility in overweight women, which could lead to unintended pregnancy. Head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Preventive Drugs of Internal Diseases at Sechenov University and corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Evgenia Sheikh, warned about this at a press conference.
A review of more than 10 studies published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences in 2024 confirms the beneficial effects of GLP-1 agonists on reproductive outcomes.
Excess weight causes insulin resistance and increased synthesis of androgens, which impairs reproductive function. A 15 percent weight loss can improve hormonal balance and restore ovulation, especially in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovary syndrome.
However, women who have not ovulated for a long time may be at risk of unplanned pregnancy due to lack of protection. It is important to consider that data on the effect of GLP-1 on fetal development are not yet available. Experts stress the necessity of rational contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancy and maintain reproductive health, they said.Vedomosti».
Anti-obesity medications can sometimes have a negative effect. Last summer, the European medicines regulator discovered a rare side effect of popular Ozempic and obesity drug Vegovi that leads to vision loss – one that could affect one in every 10,000 people taking the drug.