The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a strong warning against the use of weight-loss injections, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, during pregnancy, while trying to conceive, or while breastfeeding, citing potential risks to babies.
In a statement released on Thursday, the MHRA advised women to avoid these so-called “skinny jabs” due to insufficient safety data. It urged the use of effective contraception during treatment, and in some cases, for up to two months after stopping the medication before attempting to fall pregnant.
“Anyone who becomes pregnant while using these medications should stop taking them immediately and consult a healthcare professional,” the agency stated, highlighting the lack of evidence around the drugs' safety during pregnancy.
Professor Rebecca Reynolds, an expert in metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said there is “hardly any available data from human studies” on the effects of these drugs in pregnancy. “Animal studies suggest possible risks such as low birthweight and skeletal abnormalities, but more research is needed to assess these risks in humans,” she added.
The MHRA also flagged potential issues with another injectable drug, Mounjaro, noting it may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in people with overweight or obesity. It advised those using Mounjaro to consider non-oral contraceptive methods.
Dr. Ying Cheong, a consultant in reproductive medicine at the University of Southampton, described the advisory as "both timely and necessary,” warning that gastrointestinal side-effects like vomiting and diarrhoea could hinder the absorption of oral contraceptives, raising the risk of unintended pregnancy.