Why Experts Don’t Recommend Semaglutide During Pregnancy?
New questions have been raised about the possible impact of semaglutide drugs on pregnancy due to the growing popularity of drugs like Ozempic for diabetes and weight loss. The medication has grown in popularity as celebrities have reported using it, and people have been posting on social media about successful weight loss. Many of these people are women in childbearing years.
You may be wondering if this medication will be safe for you if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the near future. Then you are in the right place! Here in this blog we will discuss what experts suggest about its benefits during pregnancy, including complications and when to stop taking it. In addition, if you are not pregnant and willing to lose weight, buy Ozempic online from Canada.
What Does Semaglutide Do to You During Pregnancy?
Semaglutide works to improve both mother and baby’s health in pregnant women. Women who can’t control their blood sugar well with insulin alone might be able to support a healthier pregnancy as the drug:
1. Tighten Blood Sugar Control
The use of semaglutide can lower blood sugar levels and A1C levels, which can help manage diabetes during pregnancy. In early pregnancy, controlling blood sugar reduces the risk of birth defects and other complications. Women with higher A1C levels are more likely to suffer miscarriages, birth defects, preterm births, and other complications. Women may decrease risks to the fetus during this critical period if they use semaglutide to control blood sugar right away.
2. Supports A Healthier Pregnancy
Having tighter blood sugar control leads to fewer pregnancy losses, longer gestations, and fewer preterm births. It is often the case that my patients on semaglutide have better outcomes than those not taking anything or struggling with control of insulin alone. Even though medication risks remain, managing blood sugar in a sustained manner may have a positive impact on a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
3. Insulin-Free Option For Women
During pregnancy, semaglutide may be preferable or better than insulin injections alone for some expectant mothers. In some patients, insulin cannot be tolerated well; they face risks like obesity that the drug can help address, or they are unable to use insulin for other reasons.
While GLP-1 agonists provide an alternative, risks to the fetus must still be carefully considered for each patient according to their medical history and stage of pregnancy.
Is Semaglutide Safe to Take During Pregnancy?
The drug has not been tested in pregnant women, so they are not recommended at this time. Despite not enough human research showing the drug is safe during pregnancy, animal reproductive studies show that complications can occur. According to Novo Nordisk, the medication affected the fetus of rats, rabbits, and cynomolgus monkeys during pregnancy. Semaglutide causes miscarriages and abnormal growth and development of fetuses in rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys during pregnancy.
According to Dr. Amanda Velazquez of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, director of obesity medicine, pregnant women should not take semaglutide.
What Are the Complications of Taking Semaglutide During Pregnancy?
Taking semaglutide while pregnant is not recommended by the FDA. There is limited data on the safety of taking the drug. The available data points to risks and complications for a fetus if someone consumes semaglutide while pregnant. Animal studies have shown these complications. The fetuses of pregnant rats given semaglutide showed structural abnormalities, growth problems, and higher death rates.
During pregnancy, rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys went through miscarriages, and their offspring suffered structural abnormalities. According to the prescribing information of the drug, pregnant animals also lost weight and consumed less food. Moreover, many of their offspring were born with lower birth weights than average.
In addition, a study published in 2020 in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth journal found that losing significant weight in pregnancy increases the risk of having a small gestational age baby (SGA). The reason why healthcare professionals do not encourage purposeful weight loss during pregnancy, even for obese women, is because of this.
When Can You Stop the Medication Before Pregnancy?
If a woman plans to become pregnant, she should discontinue treatment at least two months in advance. It allows the medication to leave the body, said Sarah Lassey, a board-certified OB-GYN and co-director of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s diabetes program.
The medication can remain in your body for quite some time. Dr Velazquez and Lassey both recommend transitioning off of this class of medication two to three months before you plan to become pregnant.
[Note: Like when you start the medications, stopping the medications should be supervised by a medical provider].
What If You Get Pregnant While Taking Semaglutide?
It is important for a woman taking any of the drugs to contact her healthcare provider if she becomes pregnant unexpectedly. They can help her transition off the medication and ensure she receives adequate maternal care. The FDA will monitor any cases of women who have been exposed to semaglutide during pregnancy. According to the agency, pregnant women and healthcare providers should contact the manufacturer if they are impacted by the drug.
Additionally, the medicine may help women who want to become pregnant in the near future lose weight and improve their overall health, but it is not recommended for those who want to become pregnant quickly. If you’re a 20-to-30-year-old with diabetes and obesity, potentially, the medication may have significant benefits for improving your blood sugar values and your overall cardiovascular profile.
[Note: The Ozempic pen is recommended, knowing that down the line, if and when you were to conceive, your healthcare provider would have to change those medications].
Additionally, if you are looking to buy Ozempic online, Polar Bear Meds is the best Canadian online pharmacy you can trust.
To Sum Up
Semaglutide, found in drugs such as Ozempic, is effective at managing diabetes and weight loss, but not during pregnancy. The advice of experts suggests discontinuing the medication at least two or three months before conception in order to avoid possible risks associated with the health of both mother and fetus. A safe transition of the drug requires immediate consultation with a healthcare provider if pregnant unexpectedly while taking the medication. The use of this drug during pregnancy has been deemed unsafe. Personalized advice needs to be obtained from healthcare professionals to ensure maternal health is prioritized.