An “ozempic baby boom”? The GLP-1 pregnancy plot twist: Shortwave: NPR


The blue striped silhouette of a pregnant person standing facing left on a pink background.

What’s the latest news on how GLP-1 drugs affect pregnancy?

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The explosion of GLP-1 drugs has created a gray area for pregnancy. This recently prompted the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to issue its first-ever guidelines on the subject. Additionally, the drugs can increase fertility in some, leading to more planned and unplanned pregnancies – a phenomenon known on social media as “Ozempic babies.” But doctors warn against using these drugs during pregnancy itself. In fact, the more we looked into this story, the more twists and nuances we found. So we invited Dr. Amy Valent, from Oregon Health and Science University, on the show to provide an update on what we know about how these drugs affect fertility and pregnancy.

Interested in more health news? Send us your question to shortwaves@npr.org.

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This episode was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones fact-checked. The sound engineer was Robert Rodriguez.

Gn Health

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