Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Ozempic, Pregnancy, Women's Health, Health
Mia Williams
Topics: Ozempic, Pregnancy, Women's Health, Health
Common side effects of weight-loss jabs could effect those taking the contraceptive pill, experts have warned.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a warning to women that are using weight-loss jabs while taking the contraceptive pill.
With the use of the GLP-1 medicines for weight-loss being a relatively new treatment, there are still a lot of grey areas surrounding its complexities.
And the MHRA says that the popularity of these so-called 'skinny jabs' could lead to people taking the drug without being fully informed.
Advert
So why might the pill prove to be less effective?
Well, in terms of side effects of these jabs, what we do know is that vomiting and diarrhoea is very common, which could prove to be problematic for those also taking the contraceptive pill.
Experts suggest that it is possible for the pill to not be absorbed effectively due to this, and because the jabs also slow down the emptying of the stomach.
Additionally, different forms of the jab likely require different action where contraception is concerned.
For example, the regulatory board advises that women using Mounjaro, as well as an oral contraceptive, should also use a condom for four weeks after starting the jabs.
Alternatively, they could switch to using the coil or implant.
But it's not the only reproductive concern that the agency has warned about.
The MHRA is also concerned about the lack of knowledge regarding the effects of the jabs during pregnancy.
It's currently not known whether GLP-1 medicines, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, could harm an unborn baby.
For this reason, the agency has issued some very clear guidance urging that any woman who is trying to conceive, who is pregnant, or breastfeeding, should not be using the jabs.
Speaking to the BBC, Natasha Major revealed her shock when finding out she was pregnant while using Mounjaro.
The 26-year-old was planning to lose weight before trying for her third baby in years to come, but six weeks later, she saw the positive pregnancy test while taking an oral contraceptive.
She said: "The last injection I took, I found out about the pregnancy three hours later and haven't taken it since then.
"I've had an early scan to make sure the pregnancy was viable and okay - baby had a little heartbeat and everything looks good."
The weight-loss medication is only prescribed to individuals on the NHS who have a high BMI, but concern is growing about private sales of the drugs.