The British Agency for Medicines and Health Products (MHRA) published an alert on June 5 concerning pregnancies in drug users such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, sometimes called “Skinny Jabs” (slimming bites).
This text is a translation of CTV News content.
“Women who take popular drugs to lose weight and treat diabetes … are invited to use effective contraception while taking these drugs,” said the directive.
Ozempic and Wegovy, which both contain semaglutide, and Mounjaro, which contains shooting, are part of a class of drugs called agonists of the GLP-1 receptor. These drugs imitate intestinal hormones to increase insulin production, slow down digestion and suppress appetite.
“These drugs delay food absorption, so they can also delay or reduce the absorption of the contraceptive pill,” said Dr. Togas Tulandi, head of the obstetrics and gynecology service at the McGill University Health Center, in a video interview with CTV News.ca.
Dr. Tulandi stressed that non-oral methods, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) or implants, are not affected by weight loss drugs and remain effective.
The MHRA also advises people who use the pill to use a barrier method, such as condoms, and reiterates that these drugs should not be taken during pregnancy, during a design attempt or during breastfeeding, due to the limited data on their safety.
“Anyone who gets pregnant during their use must talk to their health professional and stop the medication as soon as possible,” the MHRA wrote.
Although it is the first official warning of this type in the United Kingdom, the question has been circulating for some time in online communities and medical environments.
Some women have shared surprising emergencies on platforms such as Tiktok and Reddit using the hashtag #ozempicbaby. Some have said that this had happened despite taking the pill, others have established a link between increased fertility and weight loss or improving hormonal regulation.
Although they are widely promoted online for weight loss, not all GLP-1 drugs are approved for this purpose. In Canada, Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults with obesity or associated disorders, and Wegovy for weight management.
Health Canada told CTV News.ca in a statement that the United Kingdom alert complies with existing guidelines in Canada.
“All Canadian monographs on GLP-1 receptor agonists advise against the use of these drugs during pregnancy, and many of them contain warnings on potential interactions with oral contraceptives,” he said.
Health Canada says he continues to monitor health products safety and that he will take action if new problems arise.
Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy, says that no clinically significant interaction has been observed between semaglutide and oral contraceptives containing ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel. However, the company still recommends that patients stop treatment if they become pregnant or envisage pregnancy.
“Patient safety is an absolute priority for Novo Nordisk, and we are working in close collaboration with the authorities and regulatory organizations around the world in order to permanently monitor the safety and efficiency of our products,” said Marie-Pierre, company spokesperson, in a statement at ctvnews.ca.
Dr. Tulandi advises people who wish to design a child to focus first on weight loss, then stop treatment and try to get pregnant.
He also underlined a less known security problem.
“If you take this type of medication and you need to undergo surgery, you should stop treatment at least two weeks before, because (when taking these drugs) food absorption is delayed and, when you undergo surgery, food can still be in the stomach,” he said.
Not to interrupt the treatment could increase the risk of suction, that is to say the input of food in the lungs. He added that some patients had seen their surgery canceled for this reason.
