Many drugs can affect a woman’s physical or psychological health in one way or another, and Saxenda is no exception. However, you should be aware that temporary side effects or some difficulties are nothing compared to the dramatic improvement in health caused by weight loss.
Saxenda and pregnancy
The most important thing you should know is that you can lose excess body fat before and after the gestation period. Doctors almost always advise you to give up trying to actively lose weight between conception and the birth of a child. But it doesn’t mean you should stop being physically active and eat everything.
One can classify Saxenda as a pregnancy category X agent. It means that you should not start medical treatment for overweight or obesity in the prenatal period.
Saxenda and birth defects
Many pharmaceutical products used in the prenatal period can be toxic and teratogenic (leading to the development of severe congenital malformations).
Of course, there are groups of safe drugs that don’t lead to problems in the structural and functional development of the fetus. Saxenda (a pregnancy category X agent) doesn’t belong to such a group of drugs.
Saxenda and breastfeeding
Everyone knows that women should be cautious about what they eat and what medications they use during breastfeeding. Ans they should pay particular attention to those pharmaceutical products that affect brain function.
Taking Saxenda while breastfeeding may be a risk factor for infant health. Liraglutide-containing medicines are satiety enhancers that work by stimulating certain parts of the brain. They penetrate the breast milk, which means they can affect the functioning and development of the infant’s CNS.
So, you can answer the question, “Can you take Saxenda while breastfeeding?” only in the negative. If you’ve thought it through and decided to use appetite suppressants, find a suitable artificial feeding method.
Saxenda and periods
The standard recommendations for use and dosing schedule of Saxenda don’t change during periods.
If you are using or planning to use certain medicines, for example, to relieve painful menstrual cramps, you should be aware that they may potentially interact with slimming pills. Discuss possible drug combinations with your doctor.
Can Saxenda affect the menstrual cycle
We must say right away that such a side effect wasn’t recorded during clinical trials. However, the cycle can go astray, and here are the reasons:
- Significant and/or rapid weight loss.
- Rigorous diet or intermittent fasting.
- Stress due to lifestyle changes.
Usually, menstrual problems caused by a weight management program are minor and temporary. They may decrease and disappear as the body adapts to the reduction in body fat.
Conclusion
Too much weight during pregnancy can be a risk factor for a baby during fetal development and the first years of life, but it isn’t a reason to experiment with drugs. During the prenatal period or breastfeeding, the doctor will not prescribe Saxenda so as not to harm the health of the future mother and her baby.
If you feel that Saxenda is affecting your mental or physical health, discuss it with your doctor, who will tell you how to solve the problem.
