Popular Weight-Loss Drugs Linked to Low Contraceptive Use, Raising pregnancy concerns inโฃ Australian Women
SYDNEY,โข AUSTRALIA – โขAโ new study published inโ the Medical Journal of Australia reveals a concerning โฃtrend: low ratesโค of contraceptive use among women prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists – a class of drugs increasingly popular for weight loss. The research,โ analyzing data from overโ 1.6 million women โขaged 18 to 49 โขattending Australian general practices between 2011 and 2022,found that only 21% of theโ 18,010 women newly prescribed theseโ medications during that period reported using contraception.
Originally developed for managing โtype 2 diabetes,GLP-1 receptor agonists have seen a surge in prescriptions for their appetite-suppressingโ and weight-loss โeffects. The studyโค confirms โthis shift, โฃfinding that the majority of recent prescriptions โare now issued to โwomen without diabetes. In 2022 alone, over 6,000 women began GLP-1 treatment, with more than 90% lacking a diabetes diagnosis.
“We’re seeing widespread use of these medications among women of โขchildbearing age, but very little evidence that contraception is beingโ considered as part of routine care,” stated โlead author associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak, a pharmacist at Flindersโฃ University’s College of Medicine and Public Health. “These medications can be incredibly helpful, butโฃ they’re not risk-free, โespecially during pregnancy.”
The research indicated a pregnancy rate of 2.2% within sixโข months of starting GLP-1 treatment.โ This risk wasโฃ particularly elevated among younger women with diabetes and women without diabetes in โฃtheir early thirties. Notably, women with polycystic ovary syndrome were twiceโ as โlikely to conceive, suggesting weightโค loss induced โby the drugs may improve fertility, even unintentionally. However,โค the โstudy emphasized that women using contraception at the time of prescription had โa considerably lower risk ofโ pregnancy.
Concerns extend beyondโ unintended pregnancy. Previous animal studies conductedโค by โthe โUniversity of Amsterdam haveโค linked GLP-1 exposure during pregnancy to reduced fetal growth and skeletal abnormalities. While human data remains limited, researchers are urging caution.
“whilst the UK advises that women using GLP-1 receptor agonists shoudl avoid pregnancy and use effective โขcontraception, this advice is not being followed consistently in Australianโค clinical practice,” Associate Professor Grzeskowiak explained. “We need โขtoโฃ ensure that โฃreproductive health isโ part of every conversation when these drugs are prescribed to any women of childbearing age.”
He further stressedโค the โneed for โข”clearer practice recommendations โฃand guidelines” for prescribers to ensure the safe and โeffective use of GLP-1s. The authors recommend โคpatients “speak to your GP โabout theโ risks and benefits of GLP-1 medicines before โคtaking them, and only take โฃthose prescribed by a healthcare professional.”
The study authors โconclude thatโฃ further research isโข crucial to fully evaluate theโข impact of these medications on pregnancy and fetal development.
The research wasโ published under the title “Incidence ofโ GLPโ1 receptor agonist use by women of reproductive age attending general practices in Australia,โ 2011-2022: a retrospective โคopen cohort โฃstudy” (DOI: 10.5694/mja2.70026).
