Can Ozempic get you pregnant?

A short newsletter on women's health and innovation

Dear friends,

Kirkus has published an early review of The Vagina Business, which is coming out in 3 weeks—I was SO moved by the review! They wrote:

“In this refreshingly forthright book, financial journalist Gerner explores how gutsy female innovators working in femtech are disrupting a health care system built to the measure of men.

As it redefines the “archetype of female entrepreneurship,” her highly readable book offers hope for positive new ways of not only thinking and talking about female bodies but also improving health outcomes for women worldwide.

Energetic, thoroughly engaging reading.”

I’ve spent many years pouring my energy, time and soul into this book to shine a light on positive examples of female health innovation—and it’s amazing to see how it’s received.

If you’re in London and I haven’t invited you to the book launch yet, my apologies—please drop me a line.

I’ve been sending out invites with one hand while going for walks around the neighborhood with my baby in the stroller. And let me tell you, he does not always love his sun hat, so some invites probably got lost in that tussle.

Welcome to those who have recently joined the newsletter! I’m sending it out every 2 weeks (I post a bit more frequently on Instagram). I’m still experimenting with the format of this newsletter—this week I’ve decided to focus on one story.

Can Ozempic get you pregnant?

A growing number of women, who take the weight loss and diabetes drug Ozempic/ Wegovy, have taken to social media to post about their surprise pregnancies. Some women say they got pregnant while taking the contraceptive pill. Others say they previously had a history of fertility issues but managed to get pregnant while on Ozempic. So, what’s going on?

Ozempic is known for having side effects like consistent vomiting and “Ozempic face,” but Ozempic babies?

But first, let’s talk about how Ozempic works: the drug mimics a hormone (GLP-1) produced in the gut when we eat. One role of GLP-1 is to prompt the body to produce more insulin, which reduces blood sugar. The drug slows down digestion and helps people feel full for longer.

Scientists say that Ozempic does indeed seem to bolster fertility. There’s not enough data (as always when it comes to women’s bodies) on why exactly that’s the case, but there are several plausible explanations—I summarise them here:

1)     Weight loss can restore regular ovulation for some women who previously experienced disrupted cycles.

2)     The drugs can change the way oral contraceptives are absorbed into the bloodstream, reducing their concentration, which makes them less effective.

3)     Beyond digestion, the drugs have been shown to stimulate luteinizing hormone (LH) production in female rats, and a surge in LH can trigger ovulation.

So, if women are accidentally getting pregnant while on Ozempic, a question that follows on logically from that is: how safe is the drug for pregnant women?

Some animal studies seem to imply it’s safe. But for now, Novo Nordisk, the company behind Ozempic, recommends stopping the drug 2 months before pregnancy to avoid exposing a fetus to potential effects of the drug.

(But of course, not every woman knows when she’s pregnant, given that almost 50% of pregnancies in the US and UK are unintended. Never mind knowing you’re about to get pregnant 2 months beforehand.)

Oh, and also: Some studies suggest that drugs like Ozempic may increase fertility in men, particularly those with obesity, by improving sperm count, concentration and motility.

So, can Ozempic get you pregnant? Not in the ‘immaculate conception’ way, but yes! For all of the above reasons, Ozempic does boost fertility.

And finally, I’d like to point out that the creator of Ozempic is a woman, who has never asked for a pay rise.

Her name is Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, she says she’s a socialist. She has made the Danish company Novo Nordisk, where she is the Chief Scientific Advisor, The Most Valuable Company In Europe.

Novo Nordisk has a market capitalization that’s bigger than Denmark’s GDP. It’s also bigger than the market cap of the following companies combined: L’Oréal, Mercedes, Spotify, Adidas, Danone and Ferrari.

I like to end this newsletter on a quote, so here’s one I liked from a Spiegel interview with Knudsen:

“Some people labeled me as too passionate. Men, on the other hand, were described as intelligent, hardworking or ambitious. I was called "the mother of GLP-1," and I had a hard time with that for a long time. At least until I saw the first season of "Game of Thrones." There was a character called "Mother of Dragons," so I could come to terms with that attribution. And even though things have got better, unfortunately, a quirky, nerdy female scientist is still often treated differently than her male colleagues.”