The Novo Nordisk company, the Ozempic manufacturer, indicated in the consumer medicine information that taking Ozempic during pregnancy of any category isn’t allowed or safe.
It is also not recommended to take the drug for at least two months before a planned pregnancy because it may harm your unborn child.
According to the TGA, if a woman was taking Ozempic while pregnant, the risk of major congenital disabilities is 6–10% in women with pre-gestational diabetes with an HbA1c >7 and has been reported to be as high as 20–25% in women with a HbA1c >10.
“I got pregnant on Ozempic! What now?”
Please note that the TGA states that it is possible to use Ozempic during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
At the same time, healthcare professionals report adverse reactions observed in animals. No multicenter controlled trials were conducted on pregnant women.
Doctors suggest that poorly controlled diabetes during pregnancy may cause the following reactions:
- increase the maternal risk for diabetic ketoacidosis and preeclampsia in a mother;
- stillbirth;
- preterm delivery;
- the fetal risk for major birth defects.
Is Ozempic Safe During Pregnancy?
There are no reliable studies on this topic.
That is why AU TGA assessed Ozempic with pregnancy category D. These are drugs that may be expected to cause an increased incidence of human fetal malformations or irreversible damage.
Ozempic Early Pregnancy
In order to avoid Ozempic pregnancy risk, doctors don’t recommend using this medication during any pregnancy period and for at least two months before a planned pregnancy.
What Happens if You Get Pregnant While Taking Ozempic
It is not uncommon when a woman says: “I got pregnant while taking Ozempic.”
In such cases, experts recommend consulting your doctor to evaluate the potential benefits and possible risks that further Ozempic treatment may cause. Thus, the decision to continue or stop taking the drug will rest upon the received data.
Summing Up
Currently, the available data doesn’t allow experts to assess the risks associated with using Ozempic before and during pregnancy.
Even the AU TGA haven’t concluded whether Ozempic birth defects are truly possible. There were no trials conducted on women regarding the issue. All data is available from studies conducted on animals: rats, rabbits, and cynomolgus monkeys. However, these studies haven’t provided scientists with clear results.
Still, doctors don’t recommend taking the drug during pregnancy or two months before a planned pregnancy.
It is up to a doctor to decide whether a woman may continue her Ozempic treatment, considering potential benefits and possible risks for a mother and a fetus.
