Women across the country bonded online over their “Ozempic babies” — surprise pregnancies while taking weight-loss drugs, even if they were on birth control or had a history of fertility problems. Now, some of them report experiencing intense symptoms, such as extreme hunger and rapid weight gain, after stopping these medications suddenly to protect their baby’s health.
Although hunger and weight gain are typical during pregnancy, these women say the intensity of their symptoms is different from their previous pregnancies. It’s unclear whether pregnancy makes stopping weight-loss medications worse, but fertility and bariatric experts say hormonal changes associated with pregnancy could explain the harsh effects.
Drug manufacturers recommend that women stop taking weight loss medications at least two months before a planned pregnancy. When a non-pregnant patient stops taking these medications, doctors usually help her wean off them to lessen the side effects, but women who discover they are expecting a child stop immediately.
And as more and more women become pregnant while taking weight-loss medications, experts recommend they talk to their doctor right away, especially if they’re taking medications like Ozempic to treat diabetes.
When Ozempic and pregnancy symptoms collide
Amanda Brierley, 42, started taking semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic) last year to treat her insulin resistance caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In one month, her periods returned “like clockwork” after several years of deregulation. Then nine months later, Brierley learned she was pregnant, which was shocking news considering doctors had told her she wouldn’t be able to conceive on her own after her last high-risk pregnancy ago of two decades.
Drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, WeGovy and Zepbound appear to boost fertility, as the weight loss they induce can help correct hormonal imbalances caused by obesity and metabolic disorders; some of them may also reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills, increasing the chances of pregnancy.
Brierley immediately stopped taking semaglutide, following recommendations based on animal studies that found it could cause miscarriage and birth defects if taken during pregnancy. A week later, she was possessed by an insatiable hunger: “I was human trash. And I didn’t want any candy or anything. I wanted real food, like meat, cheese, and other rich proteins, which was completely different from my first pregnancy. I was like a caveman. I couldn’t stop. It was crazy.”
Brierley gained 20 pounds during her first trimester. By the time she gave birth, she had gained 65 pounds. While pregnant with her eldest son, Brierley gained a total of 19 pounds.
In comparison, most women gain between 25 and 35 pounds throughout their pregnancy, according to the National Institutes of Health.
How much weight a person gains depends on their body mass index before getting pregnant, as well as certain health conditions that may make them more or less likely to gain weight, said Dr. Allison Rodgers, an obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive specialist. endocrinologist at Illinois Fertility Centers.
Stopping weight loss medications is known to cause intense hunger, weight gain, and blood sugar fluctuations, all of which can be alleviated by gradually weaning off medications with a doctor’s guidance. However, Rodgers said no studies to date have analyzed how this withdrawal interferes with pregnancy symptoms, and vice versa.
“Do weight loss medications suppress certain pregnancy symptoms that then reappear more intensely when a person stops them? Or does pregnancy make withdrawal symptoms worse? » said Rodgers. “It’s really hard to understand.”
Dr. Sahar Takkouche, a bariatrician and associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said stopping weight-loss medications disrupts the systems in your body responsible for controlling blood sugar and appetite. It is therefore possible that stopping these medications all at once, instead of weaning them, plus pregnancy, may intensify the symptoms that both experiences share.
“Pregnant women, in particular, may experience these symptoms more intensely due to the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and fluctuations in blood sugar levels,” Takkouche said. “Ideally, I recommend a gradual tapering of these medications, when clinically feasible.”
Deb Oliviara, 32, said she also experienced extreme hunger and weight gain after stopping Ozempic when she learned of her “surprise” pregnancy.
“In a way it was very clear that it wasn’t just due to pregnancy, because I’ve been pregnant six times, so it’s not new to me,” Oliviara said. “I understand what one usually feels, but it was an insatiable hunger that I have never felt in my life.”
She gained 20 pounds in just two months despite maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Oliviara said the rapid weight gain affected her mentally because of how physically uncomfortable she became. Her symptoms subsided after about three months.
Extreme weight gain during pregnancy can be dangerous
In some scenarios, rapid weight gain during pregnancy could pose health risks to both mother and baby, Rodgers said: “You don’t want to not listen to your body, but you also don’t want to consume too much.
Developing gestational diabetes, for example, can increase your chances of having high blood pressure and having a large baby who must be delivered by cesarean section, which involves more complications such as blood clots and infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gestational diabetes also puts babies at higher risk of hypoglycemia, developing type 2 diabetes later in life, and premature labor.
It is especially important for women taking medications like Ozempic to treat their existing diabetes to ensure they keep their condition under control after they stop taking the medication when they learn they are pregnant, said Rodgers. If blood sugar levels are too high, especially during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy, babies face increased risks of birth defects, such as abnormalities of the spinal cord, heart and limbs.
“Whether or not you’ve just stopped Ozempic, it’s important to take care of yourself during pregnancy — make sure you’re eating well and not gaining too much or too little weight,” Rodgers said. “And if you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about switching to a safer medication like metformin or insulin as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.”
News Source : www.usatoday.com
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