‘Ozempic babies’ is the latest term to join the growing list of unexpected side effects of weight loss jabs.
Ozempic feet, Ozempic teeth, and Ozempic smell are just some of bodily changes brought on by use of the drug, which are now said to increase fertilty.
The Standard reported on the ‘Ozempic pregnancy scare’ sweeping through the UK last year, but now new guidance has been issued by the UK Regulatory Agency on the effect of Ozempic on oral contraceptives.
So, what are Ozempic babies, and how does using weight loss drugs affect contraception?
What are Ozempic babies?
‘Ozempic baby’ is the term given to a child conceived unintentionally when using drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
There is limited information available on how true the claims of Ozempic babies are, however, the UK’s medicine regulator has now flagged 40 reports of women using the drug and falling pregnant unexpectedly.
Do weight loss drugs lessen the effectiveness of contraceptive pills?
There is a great deal of research needed to formally establish the link between the weight loss jabs and unintentional pregnancies.
However, semaglutide and tirzepatide (the active ingredients in the weight loss injections) work by mimicking the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1.
GLP-1 is released by the body after eating, and so is used in the instance of weight loss jabs, to suppress appetite. The injections also slow how quickly food leaves the stomach.
Given the impact they have on the digestive system, it is now being suggested that this impacts the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive pill.
A 2024 study found that tirzepatide reduced the amount of ethinylestradiol (a synthetic form of oestrogen in the oral contraceptive pill) in the bloodstream by 20 per cent.
In addition, the time taken for the synthetic hormone to be absorbed into the blood increased by two to four hours.
Some of Ozempic and Mounjaro’s other side effects include vomiting and diarrhoea which may affect how much of the contraceptive pill is being absorbed into the bloodstream.
With this in mind, women are advised to use backup contraception when they are suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea.
It is also being claimed that weight loss associated with GLP-1 injections is naturally increasing fertility. Obesity has previously been associated with reduced fertility.
What should you do?
More research needs to be done on the link between Ozempic babies and GLP-1 drugs. However, in the meantime, women using oral contraceptives and weight loss drugs who are not trying to conceive can bolster contraception by using a non-oral form, for example condoms.
Other forms of contraceptives such as implants, IUDs, and transdermal patches do not appear to be affected, as their active ingredients are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.
