WTF is an Ozempic baby? Lifting the lid on the new social hashtag

Everyone everywhere seems to be talking about Ozempic - the ‘miracle’ weight loss injections that have taken the media by storm. What we didn’t expect to see was  #OzempicBabies taking over about 9-months after the Ozempic storm hit… 

We're lifting the lid on this new social hashtag and asking the questions 'What on earth is an Ozempic Baby?' 'Does Ozempic make us more fertile?'

Let’s dive in. 

Is there actually an Ozempic Baby Boom? 

It’s hard to say how many babies there are – it’s more a boom in Ozempic baby TikTok posts, racking up billions of views and giving the impression that there are thousands of Ozempic Babies en route. It’s difficult to quantify the number of Ozempic babies, as the evidence so far is all anecdotal, and shared through short TikTok videos. 

Does Ozempic make you more fertile? 

It’s not clear that it does. Most scientists believe that the Ozempic pregnancies are happening as a result of weight loss, which boosts fertility. Diabetes and obesity (for which Ozempic and other GLP-1s are prescribed) are known to disrupt fertility, impacting both the menstrual cycle and sperm quality. So it’s more likely that the boost in fertility is an effect of weight loss, not the drug itself. Having said this, the ‘receptors’ that the drug targets (GLP-1 receptors), are found in the ovaries, on the testes and all over the endometrial lining. This could mean that there is a direct impact on fertility, but we just don’t know enough yet. 

Does Ozempic make the contraceptive pill fail? 

What we do know is that GLP-1s slow down stomach emptying, which will have an impact on how food and medications are absorbed. This can cause oral birth control pill to not be consistently absorbed, which could result in a pregnancy, even whilst on the pill. 

Is it safe to take Ozempic whilst trying to conceive or pregnant? 

Honestly, no, it isn’t. The FDA recommends that people stop taking Ozempic or other GLP-1s (like Wegovy or Mounjarno) at least two months before getting pregnant. Animal studies have shown a higher rate of miscarriage and birth defects in rats, rabbits and monkeys. All manufacturers of GLP-1s have stressed that the drugs are not to be used during pregnancy or whilst trying to conceive. 

Is there any data on weight loss injections and trying to conceive? 

No – pregnant women, or women trying to conceive, were excluded from early clinical trials for GLP-1s because the risks were unknown. This means that the risks continue to be unknown, and will be for some time whilst the research is conducted. The FDA has asked Novo Nordisk (who manufacture Ozempic and WEgovy) to set up a registry to collect data from people who conceived whilst on their drugs. So we should start to know more in the next year, provided the data is shared by the pharmaceutical. 

What do I do if I’m on GLP-1s and want to get pregnant? 

Talk to your doctor. Ask them to help you make a plan for how to transition off the drug at a time that works for you. If you believe that weight loss will aid your fertility, plan how long you’d like to stay on the drug, then give yourself 8 weeks once you come off it before trying to conceive. It can be really overwhelming trying to figure out how to navigate a weight loss journey as well as trying to conceive, so go easy on yourself and try to take it one step at a time.