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Can You Take Mounjaro While Pregnant? The Latest Research and Advice
You’ve got a lot to think about when you’re pregnant or trying to conceive — including whether the medication you’re taking, or thinking about taking, is safe for you and your baby.
When it comes to Mounjaro®, there isn’t enough research in humans to know whether it’s safe to take during pregnancy. Your doctor will probably advise against taking Mounjaro while pregnant unless the benefits outweigh the potential risks.
Below, we dive into the little research there is on Mounjaro and pregnancy to get you up to speed.
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You’ve got a lot to think about when you’re pregnant or trying to conceive — including whether the medication you’re taking, or thinking about taking, is safe for you and your baby.
When it comes to Mounjaro®, there isn’t enough research in humans to know whether it’s safe to take during pregnancy. Your doctor will probably advise against taking Mounjaro while pregnant unless the benefits outweigh the potential risks.
Below, we dive into the little research there is on Mounjaro and pregnancy to get you up to speed.
Can You Take Mounjaro While Pregnant?
In most cases, you shouldn’t take Mounjaro while pregnant unless the benefits outweigh the risks. There isn’t much research on Mounjaro use in pregnant women, so nobody can say for sure whether it’s safe.
According to Mounjaro’s prescribing information, animal studies suggest that tirzepatide — the active ingredient in Mounjaro — could be harmful to a fetus.
However, Mounjaro can help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels, and the risks associated with poorly controlled diabetes may be higher than the risks of taking Mounjaro.
Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy may increase your risk of:
Miscarriage
Preterm birth
Birth complications
Preeclampsia — high blood pressure and liver or kidney damage
Diabetic ketoacidosis — when a lack of insulin causes a substance called ketones to build up in your blood
And it may increase your baby’s risk of:
Stillbirth
Major birth defects
Macrosomia-related morbidity — health problems related to being a larger-than-average size
A healthcare provider can talk you through the pros and cons of taking Mounjaro and whether taking it would outweigh the potential risks for you and your baby.
If you’re taking Mounjaro to treat obesity or lose weight, your healthcare provider will probably recommend you stop taking the drug if you become pregnant. Weight loss isn’t typically recommended during pregnancy anyway.
As the pregnancy risks are unknown, you may be advised to use birth control (like birth control pills) or use a barrier method (like condoms) during the first weeks of taking Mounjaro and for four weeks after each dose escalation.
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Studies on Mounjaro and Pregnancy
There have been animal studies looking into the effects of Mounjaro on pregnancy, but there is currently little research on the effects in humans.
Studies in Humans
One small study looked at the pregnancy outcomes of women who were exposed to different GLP-1 medications during the first trimester of pregnancy. This small study found that women exposed to GLP-1s early in pregnancy did not have an increased risk of major birth defects when compared to women with diabetes and women with overweight or obesity.
A 2023 systematic review looked at human studies of liraglutide and exendin-4 — both of which are GLP-1 receptor agonists. Results showed the medications didn’t cross the placenta. But these studies were small — one of them only included one person!
Studies on Rats
When pregnant rats and rabbits were given tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) during organogenesis — which is when a baby’s organs are developing — researchers noticed fetal growth reductions and abnormalities.
Pregnant rats given a 0.5 milligrams (mg) dose of tirzepatide per kilogram of body weight during organogenesis ate less and lost weight.
This was linked to:
Increased incidences of external, visceral, and skeletal malformations (i.e. external, internal organ, and bone birth defects)
Increased incidences of visceral and skeletal developmental variations (i.e. different developments in internal organs and bones)
Decreased fetal weights
In another study on rats, baby rats from mothers given a 0.25mg/kg dose once a week from implantation (when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus) to lactation (breastfeeding) had lower average body weights compared to babies from mothers not given any tirzepatide.
They had lower birth weights from seven days after birth to 56 days after birth for female babies and 126 days after birth for male babies.
Studies on Rabbits
Tirzepatide also caused harm to pregnant rabbits in the clinical trials referenced above.
Pregnant rabbits were given a weekly dose of 0.01mg, 0.03mg, or 0.1 mg of tirzepatide per kilogram of body weight during organogenesis.
The 0.1mg/kg dose was associated with mother rabbits eating less and decreased body weights in the babies.
Tirzepatide caused gastrointestinal side effects that resulted in the mother rabbit dying or the baby rabbit dying in a few cases at all doses.
Other Animal Studies
The 2023 systematic review looked at 39 records of pregnancy and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors — both classes of weight loss and diabetes drugs.
In animal studies, GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with:
Reduce fetal weight and/or growth
Delayed ossification — or bone creation
Changes in bone development
These effects were usually seen when the mother ate less food and didn’t gain as much weight.
Although there is no official guidance on the matter, you may want to stop taking Mounjaro around two months before trying to get pregnant. The manufacturer of a different GLP-1 medication, Ozempic®, advises discontinuing the drug two months before trying to conceive.
A healthcare provider can tell you the best time to stop taking Mounjaro based on your unique health needs.
Let your healthcare provider know if you plan on trying for a baby soon. They can assess whether it’s best for you to stop taking Mounjaro and use a different treatment for type 2 diabetes, or stay on the medication if the benefits outweigh the risks for you and your baby.
Can You Take Mounjaro While Breastfeeding?
It’s less clear when you should restart treatment after pregnancy. So far, there are no studies looking at:
Whether tirzepatide goes into your breastmilk
How tirzepatide could affect your baby if you breastfeed them on Mounjaro
How tirzepatide could affect your milk production
So, if you decide to breastfeed, you may want to wait until you stop breastfeeding to begin taking Mounjaro again.
A healthcare provider can assess your personal situation, including any medical conditions you might have. They can weigh up the benefits of breastfeeding against the benefits of taking Mounjaro and let you know what’s best for you and your baby.
Don’t panic if you get pregnant on Mounjaro. But you should let your healthcare provider know right away. They can talk you through the best course of action.
If you’re taking Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, your healthcare provider may recommend a different diabetes drug or to keep taking Mounjaro if the benefits outweigh the potential risks.
If you’re taking Mounjaro for weight loss or weight management, you’ll probably be advised to stop taking the drug while pregnant.
There’s a lot of confusing information out there when it comes to what meds you can and can’t take while pregnant. Our suggestion? Speak to a healthcare professional to get medical advice tailored to you and your baby.
In the meantime, here’s a recap of what you need to know about Mounjaro and pregnancy:
Most people shouldn’t take Mounjaro while pregnant. More human studies are needed, but studies on rats and rabbits show that tirzepatide can lead to reduced growth and birth defects.
For some people, the benefits of Mounjaro outweigh the risks. Poorly controlled diabetes can be dangerous for both Mom and baby. So, if you use Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, your healthcare provider may advise you to continue taking it. If you’re taking Mounjaro for weight loss, you’ll probably be advised to stop taking it while pregnant.
Stop taking Mounjaro about two months before trying for a baby. Let your healthcare provider know if you’d like to try for a baby soon. They may recommend you stop taking the drug before you start trying.
It’s generally not recommended to try to lose weight during pregnancy. On the flip side, losing weight before you start trying could boost your fertility.
If you’re looking into weight loss treatments, you have many options. Think: healthy lifestyle changes — like eating more protein and getting more exercise, injectable weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy®, and oral medications like metformin.
Our free online weight loss assessment can help you find the best treatments for you.
9 Sources
- Akanmode AM, et al. (2023). Macrosomia.
- Dao K, et al. (2024). Use of GLP1 receptor agonists in early pregnancy and reproductive safety: a multicentre, observational, prospective cohort study based on the databases of six Teratology Information Services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11043712/
- Farzam K, et al. (2024). Tirzepatide.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use. (2022). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2022/215866s000lbl.pdf
- Muller DRP, et al. (2023). Effects of GLP-1 agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors during pregnancy and lactation on offspring outcomes: a systematic review of the evidence.
- National Library of Medicine. (2022). Preeclampsia.
- National Library of Medicine. (2023). Diabetic ketoacidosis.
- Ozempic (semaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use. (2017). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/209637lbl.pdf
- Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use. (2023). https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/217806s000lbl.pdf
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