Women on social media reporting surprise pregnancies with weight-loss drugs
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Some women have taken to social media to reveal they have unexpectedly become pregnant while taking weight-loss drugs.
Women taking Ozempic for diabetes or Wegovy for weight loss have reported surprise pregnancies and some say it has happened while they were taking birth control.
Obesity can raise the risk for heart disease and may be linked to diabetes and cancer -- and for women it can also impact fertility.
"In OBGYN and reproductive health, we will often times take a women who is either overweight or underweight and say lose weight, gain weight, it will make your chances for fertility and pregnancy and make that a healthier pregnancy," said ABC News' Dr. Jen Ashton.
And to lose that weight and increase the chances of getting pregnant, doctors may prescribe medications like Ozempic or Mounjaro.
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That is what Anna Parker went on to lose weight before beginning IVF.
"So far I have lost about 12 pounds, I'm really looking forward to making a smooth transition to implanting the baby," Parker said.
Marcella Romero from Florida said she struggled to get pregnant and then started Mounjaro.
"After three years of trying to conceive to no avail, we got pregnant after starting Mounjaro, two weeks after starting it," Romero said.
She quickly went off the drug because it's not clear if there could be an effect on the fetus.
"We do not know exactly what the effect is going to be on the fetus," said Dr. Richard Paulson. "So for that reason there is a general recommendation that women stop taking the medications for at least two, three months prior to the time they conceive."
It all worked out for Romero, which is giving hope to other women in a similar situation.
"Losing weight can make a significant difference," Paulson said. "Here we have medication for the first time that really works...and reproductive medicine in particular."
One note of caution for women who are using the weight loss drugs while also using oral contraception -- the weight loss drugs slow the emptying of the stomach, which can make the contraception less effective and increase the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
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