Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are everywhere — between celeb transformations, TikTok “what I eat in a day” videos, and those suspiciously dwindling snack orders at girls’ night. If you’re not on one, you definitely know someone who is, and maybe you’ve even considered it yourself. For some, it’s about health. For others, it’s about vanity. (Honestly, for a lot of us, it’s both.) But there’s another group that’s considering GLP-1s for more than just themselves; they’re considering them for the family they hope to build.
While GLP-1s like Ozempic are hyped as miracle drugs (and hey, maybe they are), the fine print around trying to conceive (TTC) is kinda nonexistent. “GLP‑1s have not been studied in pregnancy, and they can be the hormone fairy or the hormone thief, depending on energy balance,” explains Ayla Barmmer, MS, RD, LDN, a reproductive health nutritionist, fertility expert, and the founder of FullWell. “On the plus side, moderate weight loss and steadier blood‑sugar control can restore ovulation for some, yet the same appetite blunting can leave you under‑fueled, something the body reads as: ‘This is not the moment to make a baby.’”
So yes, they can be helpful — especially for people with PCOS or insulin resistance. But they can also mess with your hormones, delay ovulation, and leave your body thinking it’s in survival mode. “Remember that you need enough calories and nutrients for your body’s reproductive system to work optimally (i.e., make enough hormones to ovulate and sustain a pregnancy),” Barmmer says. Which begs the question: hi, WTF are you supposed to do?
Glad you asked. Ahead, we break down what future MILFs and moms-to-be actually need to know about GLP-1s, TTC, and the potential for hormonal chaos that no one on TikTok is warning you about.
First: What Even Is a GLP-1?
Despite everyone and their group chat talking about Ozempic, there’s a decent chance you don’t actually know what it is (don’t worry — you’re not alone). So here’s the deal: GLP-1 medications — like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Tirzepatide — mimic a hormone your body naturally makes called glucagon-like peptide-1. It’s released after you eat and helps regulate blood sugar, slow digestion, and tells your brain that you’re full.
In everyday terms? They make you feel full faster (and longer), which often leads to noticeable weight loss — without the constant food noise or white-knuckle cravings.
Even though GLP-1s have been around for over a decade (they were originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes), they’ve only recently hit the mainstream — thanks to buzzy celeb shoutouts, TikTok transformation videos, and FDA approvals that basically turned them into household names.
These days, they’re being prescribed for a range of off-label reasons, from insulin resistance to PCOS to general weight management. And yep — most of them are injections. Once a week. “For some people, these medications can be a real turning point,” says Barmmer. “They can improve metabolic function, reduce inflammation, and help people feel more in control of their eating habits.”
How Ozempic Can Impact Fertility
Like most things related to fertility, the answer is that it’s complicated. On the one hand, GLP-1s can help regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and promote moderate weight loss — all of which can support hormonal balance and even bring back ovulation for some people. “For some, these medications can restore regular cycles by improving blood sugar control and lowering inflammation,” says Barmmer.
But they’re not magic. Because GLP-1s also blunt your appetite, they can lead to unintentional under-eating, and when your body thinks it’s running on empty, baby-making is not the priority. “If you’re not getting enough calories or nutrients, your body reads that as a stressor and deprioritizes reproduction,” Barmmer explains.
She says some of the most common nutrient shortfalls on GLP-1s include:
- Protein
- Healthy fats
- Iron
- Folate
- Vitamin B12
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Choline
Basically, everything your body needs to make hormones, support egg quality and build a lining an embryo would actually want to stick around in.
That’s why the product labels recommend stopping GLP-1s at least two months before conception. “From my perspective, it may be smart to stop three to four months before trying to conceive,” says Barmmer. “That gives your body time to replenish any nutrients that may have been depleted.”
And yet, people are still turning to GLP-1s while trying to conceive because the system doesn’t exactly make it easy to feel confident in your body.
If you open literally any trying-to-conceive app or fertility forum, weight is everywhere. Despite the fact that BMI is outdated at best and harmful at worst, it’s still used in medical settings to sort people into categories like “Healthy :)” and “Unhealthy, Lazy, and Worthless!!!!” — as if that number tells the whole story. (Saying this as someone with a BMI that cutely labels me obese.)
So you go to the doctor, step on the scale, say you want to get pregnant… and the first thing they tell you is to lose weight. Not ask about your cycle. Not check your labs. Just: “Lose weight.” So yeah, it makes sense that more and more people are looking at GLP-1s as a fertility tool — even if the science is still evolving.
Here’s the thing, though: Weight alone isn’t a reliable indicator of fertility. Plenty of people with larger bodies get pregnant with zero issues, while others in “ideal” BMI ranges struggle for years. Hormones, nutrition, genetics, and a hundred other factors play a role — it turns out that making a baby is a little more complicated than hitting a goal weight.
IRL: Moms-To-Be On GLP-1s While TTC
(Say that headline^ three times fast.) Trying to get pregnant is already confusing. Throw a GLP-1 into the mix, and suddenly, you’re second-guessing every injection, symptom, and Google search at 2 a.m. Some people feel empowered. Others feel totally in the dark. Here’s what a few women had to say about navigating fertility while on (or considering) these meds.
Lexi M., 31, was prescribed tirzepatide after being diagnosed with PCOS and struggling to lose weight. “I was on it for about two months and lost 18 pounds. I didn’t get much guidance from my doctor about how it might affect fertility, and honestly, I’m still not sure if it helped or hurt,” she says. Concerned about potential side effects, she stopped the meds and started working with a nutritionist. She’s since completed two rounds of Letrozole (a medication used to support ovulation) — but hasn’t conceived yet.
“I’m really conflicted,” she admits. “I feel like it was the right choice for my health, but I also wish my provider had taken more time to explain what to expect. I don’t even talk about it much with friends because I’m scared of being judged… I found the injections really hard to do after a while. My husband ended up doing my last couple of injections, and as it’s looking more and more like we’ll need to do IVF, I guess it was good practice.”
Elle B., 33, also started taking semaglutide while trying to conceive. “The thought of being 30–50 pounds heavier postpartum terrified me. I’ve always been active and healthy, but I couldn’t lose weight. For me, the GLP-1 was the difference between trying for a baby or not trying at all,” she says. “Some of my friends have been told they aren’t candidates for semaglutide because they’re TTC, and I’ve been told to stop immediately after I conceive.”
Amanda S., 37, actually got pregnant while on tirzepatide. “It was one of those ‘oops’ nights,” she says. “But personally, I don’t think it affected my fertility at all. If anything, the weight loss helped me feel like myself again. I just wish doctors talked more openly about the potential risks and benefits. These meds are incredible tools, but they’re not one-size-fits-all.”
Jamie S., 33, has considered starting GLP-1s but is concerned about how it might conflict with her plans to start a family. “I am worried about potential side effects for my baby,” she says. Despite wanting to lose weight before pregnancy, the uncertainty has been too much of a mental roadblock for her to move forward with a prescription.
Natalie D., 36, found out she was pregnant while still on semaglutide — and immediately called her doctor in a panic. “It wasn’t planned, but it also wasn’t unwelcome,” she says. “The scariest part was realizing no one could really tell me what to do next. My doctor admitted they didn’t have clear guidance, which didn’t exactly inspire confidence.” She ended up stopping the medication immediately and says her pregnancy has been smooth so far, but she still wishes there had been more information upfront. “It’s hard to make informed choices when the research just… doesn’t exist.”
What If You’re Already Pregnant?
Here’s the fun (read: deeply frustrating) part: there’s barely any research on what happens if you’re on a GLP-1 when you conceive. Why? Because studying pregnant people is still considered ~too complicated~ for most clinical trials — and, let’s be honest, people don’t exactly prioritize women’s health until it’s urgent.
That said, the current medical guidance is to stop GLP-1s immediately after learning you’re pregnant. If you were taking them before realizing you’d conceived, don’t panic — but definitely loop in your OB as soon as possible.
“It’s less about what happened last month and more about what your body needs now,” says Barmmer. “Work with your care team to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients and supporting your body through early pregnancy.”
What Should You Do If You’re Coming Off a GLP-1?
So you’re thinking about trying to conceive, and you’re coming off a GLP-1. First of all, congrats. You survived the injections, the food noise silence, and the mental spiral of “Is this going to mess up my hormones?” There’s no perfect playbook here, but there are a few smart things you can do to give your body a solid shot at bouncing back.
Here’s what Barmmer recommends:
- Make sure it’s been at least 8–10 weeks since your last dose. These meds don’t just peace out of your system overnight. Give your body a couple of months to reset before you start Googling early pregnancy symptoms or spiraling in TTC forums.
- Get your labs done. Ask for ferritin, vitamin D, zinc, and insulin. Is blood work fun? No. Necessary? Yes. You can’t fix what you don’t know is low — and nutrient gaps can quietly sabotage your cycle.
- Nourish yourself like your hormones depend on it (because they do). Continue taking a prenatal vitamin, and aim for meals that feel satisfying, balanced, and supportive — not restrictive. Think: plenty of protein, healthy fats, and enough calories to convince your body it’s safe to ovulate, not just survive.
- Track your cycle — and speak up if something feels off. Your period might get a little weird after GLP-1s, especially if you’ve lost weight quickly or weren’t ovulating regularly to begin with. If things are still wonky (missed periods, short cycles, irregular patterns) after three months, it’s time to loop in a fertility expert.
“Every body reacts differently,” says Barmmer. “You need a support team that includes a prescriber, dietitian, and possibly a fertility expert — not just a blanket rule.”
TL;DR
GLP-1s like Ozempic can impact fertility — for better or worse — depending on how your body reacts and whether it’s getting what it needs. For some people, these meds help regulate hormones and bring back ovulation. For others, they throw cycles completely out of whack.
The takeaway? If you’re trying to get pregnant (or thinking about it soon), don’t just wing it. Talk to your doctor before starting or stopping anything. And if you’re already on a GLP-1? Don’t panic. Get informed, stay nourished, and make sure your care team is actually, well, caring.
