Are GLP-1s affecting your birth control? What to know
This baby boom isn't a coincidence. Reproductive and obesity medicine experts tell USA TODAY that they're also noticing the trend in their offices, and it boils down to two main reasons.
Weight loss can help correct hormonal imbalances caused by obesity and metabolic disorders, thus boosting fertility. But certain GLP-1 medications can also reduce the efficacy of birth control pills, thus increasing the risk of an unintended pregnancy.
So are GLP-1s impacting your birth control? It depends on which type of contraception you use.
People taking oral birth control pills may need to take extra precautions to prevent pregnancy, both to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies, but also the risks associated with taking GLP-1s while pregnant. Drug manufacturers recommend women stop taking weight loss drugs at least two months before a planned pregnancy, as not enough research has been done to fully assess the risks of taking GLP-1 medications while pregnant, according to Dr. Hayley Miller, Medical Director of Nurx Weight Management.
'It's true that, from a scientific perspective, these medications may make it easier for people to get pregnant,' Dr. Allison Rodgers, an OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinologist at Fertility Centers of Illinois, previously told USA TODAY. 'But people need to be careful because there could be dangerous consequences if taken while pregnant, given the drugs can linger in your system.'
GLP-1s impact the GI tract, reduce birth control efficacy
GLP-1s induce weight loss by slowing down the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, also known as the digestive tract, according to Miller.
With oral contraceptives, the pill should be absorbed at approximately the same time every day to maintain consistent hormone levels and maximize their effectiveness. If the GI tract is slowed down, it makes that absorption 'a lot less predictable,' which can disrupt the efficacy of birth control, Miller says.
A recent study evaluating gastric emptying with tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and oral contraceptives found that a single 5mg dose of tirzepatide was associated with an approximate 20% decrease in the amount of the oral contraceptive absorbed into the bloodstream. Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), liraglutide (Victoza) and dulaglutide (Trulicity) did not appear to affect the bioavailability of oral contraceptives.
The Mounjaro manufacturer recommends using barrier contraception, such as condoms, for four weeks after starting the drug or a dosage increase, or to switch to a non-oral contraception, such as an IUD or Nexplanon implant.
Additionally, GLP-1s can also induce nausea or vomiting. If that happens, Miller says it 'doesn't matter whether you see the pill' in your vomit – you won't truly know if it was digested, so she recommends using backup protection if experiencing these side effects.
GLP-1s may boost fertility for women with PCOS
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), an endocrine condition in which a woman's ovaries and/or adrenal glands overproduce male sex hormones called androgens, affects 8% to 18% of reproductive-aged women and is a leading cause of infertility in women. Hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS make it difficult to lose weight, yet some clinics won't perform egg retrievals on patients unless they're below a certain BMI.
Fat cells release estrogen, so the more a person gains, the more estrogen they'll have, Shah said. Excess estrogen can prevent regular menstruation and ovulation, which can make it hard to get pregnant.
Obesity causes insulin resistance as well, which can lead to high levels of male sex hormones like testosterone that don't support pregnancy and affect egg quality, Shah said.
'These weight loss medications are game changers for women with PCOS or infertility,' Dr. Utsavi Shah, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology specializing in obesity medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, previously told USA TODAY. 'It's their effect on weight loss that's helping regulate their menstrual cycles, thereby increasing their chances of getting pregnant.'
Questions to ask your doctor before starting weight loss medications
For patients looking to start taking GLP-1s, Miller says it's imperative to discuss their full health history with a trusted medical provider. This includes reviewing interactions with current medications, like birth control, and creating a game plan to reduce potential complications.
The decision to start taking a GLP-1 is a personal one.
'It's important to empower people to make these kinds of choices for themselves,' Miller says. 'There shouldn't be judgment in people's decisions for healthcare.'
However, experts recommend only taking weight loss medications if you meet the criteria for their use. Zepbound and WeGovy, for example, are approved for weight management in adults who have obesity or are overweight with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure or Type 2 diabetes.
And if you suspect you're pregnant while taking a weight loss drug, stop it immediately, Rodgers said, then follow up with your obstetrician.
Contributing: Katie Camero
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
34 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Formerly bankrupt weight-loss company makes a comeback
When it comes to things that most concern Americans about their health, weight loss is often at the top of the list. While America doesn't have the top obesity rate in the world, it does rank high on the list. More than 45% of Americans are obese. But the issue is bigger than just in the country - the worldwide rate of adult obesity has more than doubled since 1990, per the World Health Organization. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Attempts to solve this problem have spawned a thriving diet industry, always promoting the next pill, diet plan, or weight-loss gimmick to those desperate to attain better health. These approaches have all propelled the U.S. weight-loss market to grow over the decades, but the birth of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic sent it to new heights in 2023, with a market value of $90 billion. Related: One of Oprah's favorite things prepares for Chapter 11 bankruptcy It's a profitable market, but also an overcrowded one, and trying to get people's attention and stay on the cutting edge of what appeals to consumers presents a daunting challenge that businesses must continually navigate. Now, after one of the best-known names in the industry seemed to be on the edge of extinction, it's making a turnaround that few could have predicted - and with a new focus on a long-ignored women's issue. After declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May of 2025, once-giant WeightWatchers (rebranded to WW beginning in 2018) admitted its $1.5 billion in debt was too big of a burden to continue to bear. The bankruptcy process would eliminate that debt, the company said, and it expected to reemerge as a publicly traded company. "The decisive actions we're taking today, with the overwhelming support of our lenders and noteholders, will give us the flexibility to accelerate innovation, reinvest in our members, and lead with authority in a rapidly evolving weight management landscape," said CEO Tara Comonte in a release at the time. Related: WeightWatchers takes drastic step to exit bankruptcy WeightWatchers made its debut in the '60s, at a time when diet and portion control were a focus, and enjoyed many decades of success. The company also got a significant boost when Oprah partnered with it in 2015. WeightWatchers has now emerged from that bankruptcy with a new focus: helping middle-aged women struggling with all stages of menopause, from peri to post. The new program will offer access to prescription treatments such as hormone replacement therapy and also help women connect with resources for behavioral and nutritional support, WeightWatchers said. The company also named Dr. Kim Boyd as its new chief medical officer. Boyd has worked in leadership at One Medical, Calibrate, Caire, Galileo, and Nurx in the past and has co-founded or scaled multiple consumer health companies. Menopause care has been a hot topic as of late, with high-profile actresses such as Naomi Watts founding new companies to support women going through it. After Watts experienced early menopause at 36, she founded Stripes Beauty, a brand that sells products aimed at women in all stages of the life change. WW's new angle could provide the first large-scale platform for menopausal women, which could take advantage of a once-taboo topic that's slowly gained more attention in recent years. Related: Red-hot weight-loss drug stock tanks after surprise pharma giant decision The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Morphic Medical obtains CE mark for obesity treatment
Morphic Medical has obtained an EU CE mark for RESET, a device designed to target the underlying cause of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Boston-headquartered company's RESET is a novel duodenal-jejunal bypass liner (DJBL) that mimics the effect of gastric bypass surgery and is positioned as a less-invasive option for people with T2D and obesity who have not responded well to medications or require a 'bridge' ahead of bariatric surgery. Implanted endoscopically into the upper region of the small intestine and left in place for up to nine months, RESET creates a physical barrier between receptors in the intestinal wall and food. The approach has been demonstrated to improve weight reduction and metabolic conditions by enhancing natural hormones in the gut in a manner comparable to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. A UK study conducted at the Sandwell and West Birmingham National Health Service (NHS) Trust demonstrated that RESET's use in individuals with diabetes and obesity resulted in an average weight reduction of 17.4kg at the three-year follow up after receiving the treatment, and a 1.9% reduction in blood glucose levels alongside improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol. Morphic Medical president and CEO, Joseph Virgilio commented: "This critical regulatory milestone is an important step toward delivering on our promise and accomplishing our mission to alleviate the symptoms of obesity and metabolic disorders such as T2D for patients fighting these global epidemics. 'We're excited to help patients who have failed to achieve their goals through a programme of diet, exercise, and medical management, and are looking for an alternative therapy.' RESET is currently only available for investigational use in the US. To support a regulatory filing with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Morphic is currently enrolling patients in the STEP-1 RESET pivotal trial (NCT04101669). Planned for completion in 2026, STEP-1 is a multi-centre, randomised, sham-controlled trial that plans to enrol a total of 264 patients to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of RESET, as per the study's listing on "Morphic Medical obtains CE mark for obesity treatment" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
New York Post
44 minutes ago
- New York Post
Doctors have figured out a way to use herpes to fight untreatable advanced cancer
Herpes has been called 'the gift that keeps on giving' — finally, its presence has come in handy. Roughly two-thirds of the global population has been infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which typically causes painful and unsightly blisters around the mouth. University of Southern California researchers have found a way to rebrand this oft-embarrassing sore subject by genetically modifying HSV-1 and administering it to patients with treatment-resistant, advanced skin cancer along with an anti-cancer medication. 4 About 3.8 billion people worldwide have been infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which typically causes painful and unsightly blisters around the mouth. – In a recent clinical trial, this one-two punch shrank tumors by at least 30% in around one-third of the 140 participants. Nearly one in six saw their tumors completely disappear. 'These findings are very encouraging because melanoma is the fifth most common cancer for adults, and about half of all advanced melanoma cases cannot be managed with currently available immunotherapy treatments,' said Dr. Gino Kim In, a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine of USC. Advanced melanoma means the skin cancer has spread from its initial location to other parts of the body, such as lymph nodes, the liver or the brain. Immunotherapy to help the immune system attack cancer cells, targeted therapy and radiation therapy are common treatment options. 4 This is a close-up of the herpes virus, which may hold the key in the battle against advanced melanoma. BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images 'The survival rate of untreatable advanced melanoma is only a few years, so this new therapy offers hope to patients who may have run out of options to fight the cancer,' In said. In January, the Food and Drug Administration granted priority review to RP1 (the genetically modified HSV-1) with the anti-cancer medication nivolumab (marketed as Opdivo) for advanced melanoma patients whose cancer had not responded to immunotherapy. Nivolumab blocks a key protein that cancer cells use to evade the immune system, paving the way for the immune system to recognize and attack these cells. The idea is that nivolumab would enhance the effects of RP1, which targets, infects and replicates in tumor cells to destroy them — while sparing healthy tissue. In told The Post that RP1 was developed by knocking out specific genes in HSV-1 so that it no longer causes cold sores. 'Additional genetic modifications were made to the virus to stimulate the immune system to better fight the cancer and to help the virus more efficiently interact with and kill tumor cells,' In said. 4 Nivolumab blocks a key protein that cancer cells use to evade the immune system, paving the way for the immune system to recognize and attack these cells. luchschenF – In the USC trial, researchers injected RP1 into superficial tumors on or near the skin's surface and into tumors deeper in the body, like in the liver or lungs. We're Tracking Prime Day Live! Unlock exclusive NYP codes and real-time deals on everyday must-haves. See Your Deals The combination therapy was administered every two weeks for up to eight cycles. Afterwards, the patients who started to see results took just nivolumab every four weeks for up to two years. Researchers were stunned to notice a difference in the size of the treated and untreated tumors. The untouched tumors shrank or disappeared as often as the injected ones. 'This result suggests that RPI is effective in targeting cancer throughout the entire body and not just the injected tumor,' said In, 'which expands the potential effectiveness of the drug because some tumors may be more difficult or impossible to reach.' 4 Dr. Gino Kim In, a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine of USC, is one of the lead investigators on the trial. Keck Medicine of USC RP1 was reported to be well-tolerated among the participants. Results from the trial were published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting. In and his team launched a phase 3 trial to study the effects of this treatment in over 400 cancer patients. People interested in participating in the trial, sponsored by RP1 manufacturer Replimune, should contact Sandy Tran at
