Can You Take Ozempic While Pregnant? Probably Not, Here’s Why

There’s a lot to think about when you're pregnant or trying to get pregnant. If you take Ozempic®, you’ll need to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks this medication could pose to your baby.

For some people with type 2 diabetes, the benefits of taking Ozempic while pregnant could outweigh the risks. But that’s not the case for many people.

According to the Ozempic prescribing information, you should stop taking Ozempic at least two months before a planned pregnancy. This recommendation is based almost entirely on animal studies, which suggest Ozempic could harm your baby.

Below, we dive into the research on Ozempic (semaglutide) and pregnancy and what to do if you accidentally get pregnant while on the drug.

Most people shouldn’t take Ozempic while pregnant. There aren’t many human studies on this topic, but according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), animal studies suggest Ozempic could potentially harm your baby.

That's why your healthcare provider will only recommend Ozempic while pregnant if the benefits of the medication outweigh the potential risks.

Remember, Ozempic is only FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes. If you’re taking Ozempic off-label for obesity, your doctor will most likely advise you to stop the drug before becoming pregnant.

It’s generally not advisable for people to lose weight while pregnant. This is because the weight you gain during pregnancy helps your baby grow and develop properly.

If you’re taking Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, things are a little trickier.

Poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy increases your risk of:

• Preterm delivery

• Delivery complications

• Miscarriage

• Preeclampsia

• Diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition

And it increases your baby’s risk of:

• Major birth defects

• Stillbirth

• Macrosomia-related morbidity, which are health issues related to being a larger-than-average size

Your healthcare provider can discuss the pros and cons of stopping Ozempic while pregnant and may recommend a different type 2 diabetes treatment option, like metformin.

There isn’t much research on humans taking Ozempic while pregnant, but we do have some animal studies to go off.

Here’s what we know.

Studies on Humans

A 2023 review of studies mentions a couple of human studies on liraglutide and exendin-4, which are both GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic.

The research showed that the drugs didn’t transfer across the placenta. But one study only included one person — one! — and another study was an ex vivo study (AKA done outside of humans) on a placenta.

Clinical trials on IRL human pregnancies are taking place as we speak, though.

One study looking into how Wegovy affects pregnant women and their babies is due to be completed in 2027. Wegovy comes in a higher dose than Ozempic, but this should give us clues into how safe Ozempic and other weight loss medications are for pregnant people.

Studies on Rats

The FDA shares some animal studies in the prescribing information for Ozempic.

For example, in one study, rats were given 0.01 milligram (mg), 0.03mg, and 0.09mg of semaglutide per kilogram of body weight per day. This equals six percent, 20 percent, and 60 percent of the maximum recommended human dose.

The rats were given Ozempic two weeks before getting pregnant until day 17 of their pregnancies.

Mother rats ate less and lost weight at all doses. The baby rats had:

• Reduced growth

• Defects in their heart blood vessels

• Defects in bones in their skulls, ribs, and vertebrae

Studies on Rabbits

Similar problems were reported in pregnant rabbits given Ozempic.

Researchers gave rabbits 0.0010mg, 0.0025mg, or 0.0075mg of semaglutide per kilogram of body weight per day. Those numbers sound very small, but they’re equivalent to six percent, 20 percent, and 60 percent of the maximum recommended human dose.

The rabbits were given semaglutide throughout organogenesis, which is the period during pregnancy when the baby’s organs develop.

At all doses, the mother rabbits ate less and had a reduction in weight gain.

At the 0.0025mg and 0.0075mg doses, researchers noted:

• Early pregnancy losses

• Kidney and liver abnormalities

• Chest bone defects

Studies on Monkeys

Studies on monkeys don’t look much better.

Researchers gave pregnant monkeys 0.015mg, 0.075mg, and 0.15 mg of semaglutide per kilogram of body weight twice weekly throughout organogenesis. This was equivalent to half, three times, and eight times the maximum recommended human dose.

In the 0.075mg and 0.15mg doses, the mother monkeys ate less, lost weight, and didn’t gain as much weight as usual during pregnancy. Researchers also noted birth defects in the bones of the baby rats.

In another study, pregnant monkeys were given 0.015mg, 0.075mg, and 0.15mg of semaglutide per kilogram of body weight twice weekly. This was equivalent to about one-third, two times, and four times the maximum recommended human dose.

These monkeys were given semaglutide from day 16 to day 140 of pregnancy.

At the 0.075mg and 0.15mg doses, mother monkeys ate less, lost weight, and didn’t gain as much weight as usual. Researchers also noted:

• An increase in early pregnancy losses

• Slightly smaller offspring

Other Animal Studies

A 2023 systematic review looked at 23 records of pregnant animals who were given glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists — the class of drug Ozempic belongs to — or sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors — another class of diabetes and weight loss drugs.

In animal studies, GLP-1 drugs were associated with:

• Reduce fetal weight and/or growth

• Delayed ossification (bone creation)

• Changes in bone development 

These effects usually happened when the mother animal ate less food and didn’t gain as much weight.

According to the prescribing info, you stop taking Ozempic at least two months before a planned pregnancy.

Let your healthcare provider know if you plan on trying for a baby soon. They can assess your situation and tell you when and how to stop taking Ozempic.

If you’re taking Ozempic off-label for weight loss or weight management, you’ll most likely be advised to stop taking Ozempic before trying for a baby.

If you’re taking Ozempic for type 2 diabetes to control your blood sugar levels, your healthcare provider will help you weigh the risks and benefits. Then, they can determine whether you can continue taking the drug through pregnancy or need to start a different diabetes treatment.

If you get pregnant while you’re on Ozempic, don’t panic, but do let a healthcare provider know right away.

They can assess your situation — including why you’re taking Ozempic — and recommend the best course of action. This may include stopping Ozempic while you’re pregnant.

It’s unclear whether you should breastfeed while taking semaglutide. There’s simply not enough research to know whether it’s safe.

We don’t know if Ozempic can:

• Transfer into your breast milk

• Affect your baby if it does go into your breast milk

• Affect your milk production

One animal study showed that small amounts of semaglutide could transfer into rats' milk, but we don’t know if this could happen in humans.

For now, get advice from your healthcare professional. They can explain the pros and cons of breastfeeding while taking Ozempic and let you know what's best for you and your baby.

More research is needed, but from what we know so far, it doesn’t look like Ozempic is safe for pregnant people.

Here’s what you need to know about semaglutide pregnancy:

• Can you take semaglutide while pregnant? Probably not. We don’t have many human studies, but animal studies show taking semaglutide while pregnant may be harmful to your baby. Specifically, it may increase the risk of birth defects, reduced growth, and early pregnancy loss.

• For some people, the benefits of taking Ozempic while pregnant may outweigh the risks. Ozempic can be harmful to your baby, but so can poorly controlled diabetes. Your healthcare provider can let you know if the benefits of Ozempic outweigh the risks for your situation.

• Stop taking Ozempic at least two months before trying to get pregnant. Let your healthcare provider know if you want to try for a baby soon. They can tell you when it’s best to stop taking Ozempic and recommend other diabetes drugs if needed.

It’s not usually advisable to try to lose weight while pregnant. But if you're planning on expanding your family and considering weight loss treatments now, you’ve got some options.

You can make lifestyle changes, for example, by eating nutritious foods, drinking more water, exercising more, and getting enough sleep.

As with anything pregnancy-related, speaking to a healthcare provider is your best bet. They can assess your situation and explain your choices to help you find the best treatment plan.