The rise of Ozempic babies: Popular weight loss drug found to lower efficacy of birth control pills

By Abby Amoakuh

Published Mar 27, 2024 at 12:16 PM

Reading time: 1 minute

56281

Women on TikTok are reporting surprise pregnancies while taking the popular weight loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy. These pregnancies occur even if the women are on birth control, creating a new phenomenon that has been dubbed “Ozempic babies.”

However, as women who have struggled with infertility, or are older and thought they were past their childbearing years celebrate their miracle pregnancies, health experts and drug makers are issuing warnings about the potential side effects. Cue dramatic music…

@enjoyingthislyfe

#pregnancytiktok #pregnanttiktok #mom #momlifebelike #womenstrong #datinginyour30s #babytok #glp1

♬ original sound - Oliviara 🦋

How are women getting pregnant on Ozempic?

Ozempic and Wegovy slow down stomach emptying so that the consumer feels satiated for a longer time, causing them to eat less and lose weight. Nevertheless, this also affects how food and medications are absorbed. Both drugs fall within the e GLP-1 drugs category, which are known to cause the failure of oral contraception and boost fertility.

Jonathan Kaplan, a plastic Surgeon in San Francisco known as @realdrbae on TikTok, pointed out that this side effect isn’t new or unknown. When Ozempic submitted its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) paperwork, it was fully aware of these side effects.

@realdrbae

Birth control and Ozempic… use caution 🫡 @Healthline

♬ Wii Shop Channel Trap - OSRSBeatz
@realdrbae

#greenscreen Be careful! Everyone’s getting pregnant on Ozempic! 😂🤔

♬ original sound - Jonathan Kaplan

It is advised that people use alternative methods of birth control, such as condoms, caps, sponges, spermicides, or copper intrauterine devices when they are using these diabetes drugs.

@juandchan

So i could’ve been skinny w/ 3 babies rn.. got it😒 #juandchan

♬ BAILEYS SOUND - Me!

Is it recommended to take Ozempic to get pregnant?

Hell to the no. The drugmakers are currently advising to cease taking the drugs when trying to conceive or being pregnant, because like so many other medications, they weren’t properly tested on pregnant people.

Individuals who were either pregnant or trying to become pregnant were excluded from GLP-1 trials. Thus, not enough data is available to establish whether GLP-1 is associated with birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse outcomes for either the mother or the baby, according to Healthline.

What are people saying about Ozempic?

Netizens are currently marvelling at the idea of becoming skinny and having a baby at the same time, all through the magical drug of Ozempic. Others are laughing at the sheer irony of taking Ozempic for weight loss and ending up with a baby.

@lionlindaa

ozempic baby❤️‍🔥 #pregnant #wife #rich

♬ original sound - mari

A small fraction of the web is taking it too far as always by hypothesising what an Ozempic-grown baby would look like.

https://twitter.com/hihohehole/status/1770895449676800285

The answer, according to Twitter, is scary. The term “Ozempic baby” in itself evokes the image of a weirdly skinny-looking baby. Nothing to joke about really.

For now, it seems like the drug is less of a fertility booster and more of a reason to explore non-hormonal contraception.

Keep On Reading

By Jack Ramage

The next generation of weight loss drugs: What it’s really like to use Ozempic and Wegovy

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

NHS starts testing weight loss pill with gastric balloon inside for the first time

By Malavika Pradeep

The explosive truth behind ‘salt water flushes’ promising short-term weight loss

By Eliza Frost

Kylie Jenner now follows Timothée Chalamet on Instagram, but he doesn’t follow her back

By Charlie Sawyer

Why are people so upset about JoJo Siwa’s $900 Dream VIP package on her upcoming tour?

By Charlie Sawyer

Gavin Casalegno cancelled? The Summer I Turned Pretty fans turn on him amid cast drama

By Abby Amoakuh

The White Lotus star Sam Nivola speaks out about gay incest scene amid calls for boycott

By Eliza Frost

What is Banksying? Inside the latest toxic dating trend even worse than ghosting

By Abby Amoakuh

You star Madeline Brewer faces misogynistic backlash after internet brands her character unlikeable

By Charlie Sawyer

Penn Badgley praised for opening up about fatherhood and raising sons on Call Her Daddy

By Eliza Frost

Netflix is predicting your next favourite show based on your zodiac sign 

By Eliza Frost

How exactly is the UK government’s Online Safety Act keeping young people safe? 

By Charlie Sawyer

Michael Cera reveals why he turned down a role in the Harry Potter franchise

By Charlie Sawyer

Netflix’s new viral movie, The Life List, is prompting Gen Zers to break up with their boyfriends

By Abby Amoakuh

Single White Female remake starring Jenna Ortega and Taylor Russell hit with racist backlash

By Charlie Sawyer

Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale fights back against fast fashion controversy on TikTok

By Charlie Sawyer

Australian actor Joseph Zada cast as Haymitch Abernathy in upcoming Hunger Games prequel

By Abby Amoakuh

US gender justice group distributes Unwanted posters to warn women in Miami of Andrew Tate and get him extradited

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Belgian court lets convicted rapist go free so he can become a gynaecologist

By Charlie Sawyer

What is Mar-a-Lago face? Unpacking the beauty trend prompted by Donald Trump’s second term