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Ozempic is a popular antidiabetic drug that many doctors prescribe for off-label weight loss. Because of its impressive results in treating overweight and obesity — especially among high-profile Hollywood personalities — many now consider it their “holy grail.” Another emerging off-label use of this so-called miracle drug is gaining attention among women, with reports suggesting it may help improve fertility. It turns out Ozempic and fertility are indirectly connected. Although there’s insufficient evidence of this association, many women are hopeful this medication can help them finally conceive.

Key Takeaways

  • Ozempic belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists used to treat Type 2 diabetes.
  • It’s prescribed for many off-label uses, such as weight loss, alcohol use disorder, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and infertility.
  • Ozempic indirectly affects fertility through various mechanisms — one is by causing weight loss, normalizing adipose tissue, which produces adipokines — the hormone-like signaling molecules.
  • Although not well-documented, Ozempic may also positively affect fertility in men by increasing testosterone levels and boosting sperm health.
  • Women planning to get pregnant are recommended to quit Ozempic two months before their planned pregnancy to thoroughly wash out the drug from the body.

What Is Ozempic and How Does It Work?

What Is Ozempic and How Does It Work?

Ozempic is an antidiabetic injection that contains the active ingredient semaglutide. It’s approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes, but many healthcare providers also prescribe it off-label for purposes such as weight loss and managing PCOS.

It belongs to a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists that mimic a natural hormone to manage blood sugar levels in diabetes patients. It has the following effects on the body:

    • Improves insulin secretion to regulate glucose levels
    • Reduces the secretion of glucagon — a hormone that signals the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream
    • Slows gastric emptying to increase and extend the feeling of fullness
    • Suppresses appetite to reduce food intake

Ozempic has become a popular anti-obesity medication, with many users reporting significant weight loss after a few months of use. It’s also been linked with increased fertility. Some users cite it may raise the odds of getting pregnant in women.

Can Ozempic Affect Fertility in Women? Here Are 5 Ways How

News of women with obesity and PCOS getting pregnant after using Ozempic has made headlines. One example is an American woman who struggled to conceive for more than two years because of a history of PCOS.

While Ozempic itself doesn’t directly boost fertility, it may positively affect metabolic and hormonal health, indirectly increasing the chance of conception. Here are five ways it may impact reproductive health, albeit indirectly.

1. Ozempic Causes Weight Loss

Obesity affects how the endocrine system works. One major reason is that fat tissue — also called adipose tissue — doesn’t function properly in obese patients. So, does Ozempic affect female fertility? One pathway may involve adipokines.

Adipose tissue produces adipokines. Adipokines are signaling molecules that act as hormones, sending signals to other parts of the body to influence metabolism and other hormone-producing glands. Obesity can impair the normal function of fat tissue, leading to hormonal imbalance, consequently affecting reproductive health.

Ozempic causes weight loss, which, by extension, helps correct fat hormone signaling and normalize the functions of adipose tissue.

2. Ozempic Helps Stabilize Hormone Levels

Ozempic may remotely increase fertility by correcting insulin sensitivity in women with hormonal disorders like PCOS.

Women with PCOS often struggle to conceive. One reason is they’re resistant to insulin — a condition that disrupts the healthy balance of hormones, affects ovulation, and makes conception more difficult.

Ozempic works by improving insulin sensitivity to help rebalance the endocrine system. This benefit may extend to reproductive hormones like estrogen, which explains how some women — despite having PCOS — may get pregnant while taking Ozempic.

3. Ozempic Helps Reduce Inflammation

Obesity and insulin resistance are tied to chronic inflammation, which subsequently impairs fertility. Ozempic may help reduce systemic inflammation, creating a better environment for conception.

4. Ozempic Lowers Blood Sugar

Stable blood sugar levels are crucial for optimal reproductive health. One study revealed that women with Type 2 diabetes have lower Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels — meaning they had fewer eggs — and their chances of getting pregnant were much lower than women without diabetes.

Ozempic helps manage glucose, reducing the risks associated with prediabetes or diabetes-related infertility.

5. Ozempic May Interfere With Oral Contraceptives

Ozempic may reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills by slowing gastric emptying, which delays absorption. So, even if you’re not planning to conceive, you might find yourself in an unexpected pregnancy situation.

Ozempic itself doesn’t boost fertility, but its effects on weight loss and insulin sensitivity can indirectly improve the chances of conception.

The Rising Cases of Ozempic Babies

“Ozempic babies” is a term that people on social media use to describe surprise pregnancies that happen while women are taking Ozempic for weight loss.

This phenomenon has piqued many women’s interest because of a few cases wherein women with PCOS or those taking birth control pills have gotten pregnant. This is welcome news for those struggling to conceive.

If you’re taking Ozempic and are sexually active but don’t plan to conceive, talk to your doctor for the best course of action on how to prevent an unexpected pregnancy.

Ozempic and PCOS: Hope or Risk?

Doctor with Obese Patient

Ozempic may indirectly help improve PCOS fertility, but using it to attempt conception is considered off-label. It may prompt unusual or severe side effects. Currently, there are no studies or solid evidence to prove it’s safe to use to manage PCOS or to increase the odds of getting pregnant. Therefore, there are risks you should understand.

What Ozempic can do, though, is improve insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS, boosting their overall metabolic and hormonal health. Since insulin resistance can interfere with normal ovulation cycles, taking Ozempic may indirectly benefit fertility. So, there’s hope for women with PCOS. However, you should always ask your doctor for advice to determine whether Ozempic is an appropriate treatment for your condition.

Planning for Pregnancy? When to Stop Taking Ozempic

If you’re a woman and planning to get pregnant, you should stop taking Ozempic at least two months before your planned pregnancy.

Why? Based on animal studies, exposure to semaglutide may increase Ozempic pregnancy birth defects and other fetal risks, such as:

  • Early pregnancy losses
  • Slowed growth problems
  • Embryo deaths

Whether these side effects apply to humans is unclear, but it’s safer to assume they do. Why two months? Semaglutide remains in your body for about five weeks after the last dose. Waiting this long before your planned pregnancy gives your body enough time to clear semaglutide from your system for safer conception.

Ozempic and Fertility in Men

man and woman in fertility office speaking with doctor

Most data on semaglutide and fertility online is focused on women. Though research is limited, early evidence suggests Ozempic may benefit fertility in men in three ways.

1. Ozempic May Increase Testosterone Levels

Excess body fat is associated with lower testosterone levels, often leading to reduced libido, metabolic dysfunctions, and loss of muscle mass.

Taking Ozempic to slim down, along with diet intervention and exercise, helps balance testosterone levels. It does so by improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and minimizing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in fat tissue.

Ozempic may benefit male fertility over time, especially in men with obesity-related infertility or metabolic syndrome.

2. Ozempic May Improve Sperm Health

Ozempic may also positively affect fertility in men by enhancing sperm quality. GLP-1 receptors have been identified in male reproductive tissues, suggesting a possible role in men’s fertility.

Early clinical trials and lab studies have found that using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic to lose weight can improve sperm motility, concentration, and count in men with obesity. However, researchers have yet to understand whether these medications can directly affect male reproductive hormones like testosterone.

3. Ozempic Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

Based on a study, high blood sugar can induce inflammation in the male reproductive system, which may lead to sperm damage and infertility. Similar to women, stabilizing blood sugar levels curbs the risk of diabetes-related infertility.

Ozempic and Fertility: Talk to a Professional About Fertility Concerns

Fertility challenges affect millions of people, both men and women. Many causes are treatable with the right interventions. That’s why an important first step is speaking with an endocrinologist or reproductive health specialist. Ozempic may indirectly boost fertility, but it can only work if the underlying cause is weight- or diabetes-related infertility.

If you’re a woman and planning to get pregnant, you should stop Ozempic two months before the planned pregnancy for a safer conception.

Ozempic and fertility are complex topics that require individualized medical advice. If you want to use it, consult your doctor first for the best advice that suits your health situation and needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ozempic may indirectly help women with PCOS get pregnant by addressing underlying factors like obesity, insulin resistance, and hormone imbalance.

If you’re trying to get pregnant, the FDA advises women to stop taking Ozempic two months before their planned pregnancy. That’s because semaglutide remains in the body for up to five weeks after your last dose. This washout period allows the drug to clear from the body, minimizing potential risks to the developing fetus.

By causing weight loss, Ozempic can help stabilize the production of adipokines in the fat tissue, which indirectly affects female hormones. While adipokines are mainly signaling molecules, they act as hormones, sending messages to different hormone-producing glands. Studies have shown that losing weight can restore the normal production of adipokines and, by extension, stabilize other hormones.

No. It’s unlikely for Ozempic to cause a false positive pregnancy test result. In addition, doctors don’t recommend using Ozempic during pregnancy because of its potential side effects on the developing fetus.

There’s no direct evidence that Ozempic affects the odds of getting pregnant. However, the existence of “Ozempic babies” has raised hopes that this drug might help address infertility, especially in women with PCOS, obesity, and diabetes.

There are a few online reports of women taking Ozempic for weight loss and getting pregnant months later. If you’re in the same situation, visit your doctor right away. They’ll likely ask you to discontinue Ozempic to protect your unborn baby. However, if you’re using the medication to treat diabetes, they may provide alternative treatments.

There’s no direct evidence that taking this GLP-1 drug can negatively affect fertility. In fact, Ozempic may have positive benefits on reproductive health, based on user reports on Reddit, wherein some women share about getting pregnant or their period returning since taking Ozempic.

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Original Publish Date: 3/18/2024 – Updated 5/07/2025