Semaglutide and Fertility: What to Know About PCOS, Pregnancy, and Safety

Semaglutide is a class of medications that may help with weight management and blood sugar regulation. Some people online are sharing stories of getting pregnant while on the medication, even though they previously struggled to conceive or thought they were infertile.

Yet not everything in social media is true, and it is worth asking if these “Ozempic babies” are outliers or part of a trend.

Continue reading for what the clinical trials and FDA say about semaglutide and fertility, plus guidance on how weight loss drugs impact birth control and if it’s safe to get pregnant while on semaglutide.

The "Ozempic Baby" Trend: Is It Real?

Across social media, Reddit threads, and in OB/GYN practices, people are claiming to have “Ozempic babies.” Couples who previously struggled to conceive or who were clinically diagnosed with infertility are all of a sudden expecting after one or both partners start semaglutide.

On one Reddit thread, for example, a user wrote, “I got pregnant twice on Ozempic and stopped as soon as I found out. It was the only drug that ever made me ovulate and have periods every month like clockwork. And before that, I was diagnosed as infertile.”

Yet while stories like these may be true, the effect is probably overstated online. Currently, there is not enough clinical evidence to confirm that semaglutide improves fertility. Still, semaglutide has had a modest effect on fertility in a handful of studies, suggesting this is an area where more research would be useful.

Important Note: Semaglutide is not FDA-approved to treat infertility, improve fertility, regulate menstrual cycles, or manage PCOS-related reproductive symptoms. These possible effects are still under study and should not be considered approved uses. If you are trying to conceive, managing PCOS, or planning a family, speak with a qualified healthcare provider before changing your medication.

How Semaglutide Impacts Fertility

The primary way semaglutide affects fertility is by potentially regulating someone’s menstrual cycle. This may be particularly beneficial for people with PCOS and others who struggle with infertility due to an unpredictable cycle. Additionally, it’s possible that semaglutide impacts male fertility, too.

Restoring Ovulation

The menstrual cycle is a hormonal process that women who menstruate go through about once a month. It consists of four stages, and the one most commonly discussed is menstruation. When this cycle occurs regularly, someone has a period monthly. If they don’t occur on a consistent schedule, periods may be unpredictable, or there could be a longer or shorter time between periods.

If a period isn’t consistent, it indicates that all four stages are off, including ovulation, the time when someone is most fertile. During the ovulation stage, the body releases an egg that could be fertilized by sperm.

Regular, consistent cycles mean ovulation occurs more predictably, and someone has a higher chance of getting pregnant. Limited evidence suggests that some people experience a more regular menstrual cycle when taking semaglutide.

The PCOS Connection

Most of the studies on fertility and semaglutide focus on people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Among other symptoms, PCOS may lead to an irregular menstrual cycle, increasing the risk of infertility.

Since semaglutide may be associated with increased menstrual regularity, the medication might counteract this effect. In fact, a 2025 meta-review suggested people with PCOS are more likely to experience a fertility boost from semaglutide than people who menstruate and do not have PCOS.

But infertility isn’t the only PCOS symptom. The condition may also result in insulin resistance, more difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, and an imbalance of other hormones, such as androgen hormones.

Semaglutide may help with these other symptoms too, with the most evidence supporting its effects on blood sugar regulation and weight management for people with PCOS.

Male fertility

Most of the research on semaglutide and pregnancy focuses on people who menstruate. However, a 2025 study suggests semaglutide may boost testosterone levels and improve sperm morphology, the size and shape of sperm.

The study’s participants all had obesity, suggesting that semaglutide may only be effective against obesity-related male fertility. It’s also important to remember this is only one study, and more clinical trials are required to confirm.

Weight loss and fertility

The relationship between fertility and semaglutide is still being explored, but a well-defined benefit of semaglutide is weight loss, which could help with obesity-related fertility struggles.

There are a few ways weight impacts the chance of getting pregnant:

• Decreases male fertility: Having obesity or being overweight is correlated to lower sperm quality and higher male infertility.
• Negatively correlated with a live birth: Male obesity is negatively correlated to live births. The rate of delivery complications is higher in pregnant parents who are obese.
• May contribute to an irregular menstrual cycle: Obesity may decrease the chance of conceiving because it can contribute to an irregular menstrual cycle.

The Birth Control Warning: Why Your Pill Might Fail

Pregnancy can be a welcome surprise when someone is trying to grow their family. If that isn’t a current goal, you may be rightfully concerned about how semaglutide and birth control methods could interact.

Fortunately, there is very little evidence that semaglutide impacts any form of birth control. The FDA labels for semaglutide do not mention any adverse interactions between semaglutide and birth control pills. The same cannot be said for tirzepatide, another weight loss drug. Some forms of tirzepatide may interact with oral birth control methods, such as the pill.

The 2026 Recommendation: Backup Protection

If someone takes tirzepatide, under the approval and close supervision of their physician, they may want to consider switching to another medication, such as semaglutide, which has not been shown to impact oral birth control.

Alternatively, the FDA recommends using a barrier method, such as a condom, along with an oral contraceptive for the first four weeks after starting the medication and following each dose increase.

These guidelines do not apply to semaglutide. However, if you have any questions about birth control and semaglutide, talk to a qualified healthcare provider, such as an OB/GYN or primary care provider.

Planning for Pregnancy: The 2-Month Rule

If you're planning to get pregnant, it’s important to note what type of medication you are taking, as some have recommended “washout periods,” which is a time when someone should stop the medication before trying to get pregnant. WeGovy doesn’t have a washout period, but should not be taken once pregnant.

Medication	When to stop
WeGovy	Discontinue once pregnant
Rybelsus	Stop at least two months before trying to get pregnant
Ozempic	Stop at least two months before trying to get pregnant

What is a "Washout Period" and Why is it Necessary?

A “washout period” is how long it takes a drug to completely leave the body and for any residual effects to disappear. The FDA recommends a minimum washout period of two months before trying to get pregnant in order to ensure the safety of the parent and fetus.

"Even though not every GLP-1 product label spells it out the same way, semaglutide is still the same medication regardless of brand name,” says Daniel McGee, D.O., a board-certified family medicine physician, “Because of that, I usually recommend stopping it about two months before trying to get pregnant, just to be safe.”

Once pregnant, most people should stop taking semaglutide. This isn’t necessarily due to established risks, and some studies suggest it is safe to take a GLP-1 medication for type 2 diabetes when pregnant. However, evidence supporting its safety is limited, which is why the FDA recommends discontinuing it in most cases.

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Transitioning Off GLP-1s While Trying to Conceive

While it is possible to stop taking semaglutide cold turkey, it’s better to slowly taper off the medication. A gradual taper may reduce the risk of weight regain and provide time to slowly introduce lifestyle changes to maintain current weight or help regulate blood sugar, such as dietary changes and regular exercise.

To safely stop semaglutide, work with a licensed clinician, ideally the healthcare provider who prescribed semaglutide in the first place.

What to Do if You Get a Positive Test While on Semaglutide

While the FDA doesn’t recommend taking most forms of semaglutide when pregnant, the good news is that this is primarily due to a lack of research or the harms of losing significant weight when pregnant. It’s not due to a large compilation of studies linking semaglutide to pregnancy complications.

In fact, a 2025 study in Denmark found that pregnant people who took semaglutide during the first trimester did not experience higher rates of preterm births, malformations, or neonatal glycemia.

“I tell my patients if you do find out you’re pregnant while taking it, don’t panic,” says Dr. McGee, “Just reach out so we can come up with a plan together.” A healthcare provider can advise on how to safely stop taking the medication if prescribed for weight loss. Pregnant people who take semaglutide for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes might continue, but only if a healthcare provider recommends it.