Fertility
GLP-1 drugs do not increase pregnancy risks, study finds
GLP-1 drugs taken before conception were not linked to higher pregnancy risks in new research, which suggested they may even offer some protection.
Women of reproductive age are increasingly prescribed GLP-1 drugs for weight-management support, but the risks and benefits of using them before pregnancy remain poorly understood.
The findings support continuing the use of GLP-1 medicines in women with metabolic risk factors who are considering pregnancy, said Cara Dolin, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and co-author of the research, which was presented at the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine pregnancy meeting in February 2026.
“While there’s more research to be done, this data provides some reassurance that it is not harmful to be taking a GLP-1 if you’re planning a pregnancy, and that having done so may in fact benefit you by optimising your preconception metabolic health.”
The researchers examined electronic medical records for patients with a pre-pregnancy BMI of more than 30 who delivered at more than 20 weeks’ gestation. The data were reviewed for two studies: one assessed the link between pre-pregnancy GLP-1 use and the risk of gestational diabetes, while the second looked at the risk of severe maternal morbidity in patients with obesity.
Women with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other cardiometabolic disorders have a higher risk of pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, caesarean section and other outcomes. While GLP-1 medicines can help manage these conditions, they are contraindicated during pregnancy, and women are typically advised to stop the medication two months before trying to conceive.
However, stopping the drugs can often lead to rebound weight gain or worsening metabolic health. A 2025 study suggested this rebound worsened some pregnancy outcomes, but the risks and benefits are still poorly understood, Dolin said.
“There is a lot we just don’t know, which is why we wanted to look at our experience here with our Cleveland Clinic patients and see whether taking GLP-1 drugs before pregnancy was causing harm or if it was beneficial and helping patients have healthier pregnancies.”
Researchers analysed data for more than 8,000 women who had obesity but did not have diabetes before they became pregnant. They compared outcomes for 208 women who had been prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists before pregnancy with those who had not been prescribed the medication.
Women in the GLP-1 group had more risk factors heading into pregnancy. They tended to be older and have a higher body mass index, higher rates of bariatric surgery and chronic high blood pressure, and present earlier for prenatal care.
However, outcomes for the two groups were similar. Researchers found that the GLP-1 group did not have higher rates of gestational diabetes, severe maternal morbidity or other adverse maternal outcomes, suggesting that the medication may have helped mitigate elevated risk factors.
“I think this is a really important signal, and it may reflect that these patients were able to optimise their metabolic health prior to conception.”
“It shows there’s potential to use these drugs in a more targeted way with patients who are planning a pregnancy and have these different comorbidities and obesity.”
While the findings suggest that using GLP-1 drugs before pregnancy may be beneficial in women with metabolic risk factors, having a plan to stop the medicines before conception is essential, Dolin noted. In some cases, patients may be moved to an alternative medication that is safe for pregnancy and can be used to help manage their metabolic health during pregnancy.
Providers with patients who are taking GLP-1 medicines and planning a pregnancy should consider referral to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist for pre-pregnancy counselling.
“We can have a nuanced conversation with the patient about taking the medication, what the benefits are, what the potential risks are, and help them formulate a plan to transition off the medication once they’re ready to start trying to conceive,” she said.
Onto Health has acquired Levy Health, a fertility software company providing precision diagnostics and patient intake for reproductive medicine.
The acquisition, fuelled by Onto Health’s US$20m Series A fundraise in April, supports its plan to build scalable, tech-enabled infrastructure for reproductive medicine.
Onto founder Roohi Jeelani, MD, called it the first of several moves in the company’s expansion strategy in a LinkedIn post, adding that there was “more coming soon”.
She said: “This isn’t just an acquisition, it’s proof of how we’re building Onto: physician-led, tech-enabled, and built to scale without losing the personal touch fertility patients deserve.”
Headquartered in Chicago, Onto Health combines evidence-based fertility care with artificial intelligence-driven diagnostics, clinical automation and longevity science.
AI-driven diagnostics use software to analyse patient information and support clinical decision-making, rather than replace clinicians.
Levy Health, founded in Berlin with US offices in San Francisco, helps medical providers identify endocrine disorders more quickly and helps clinics streamline fertility workups.
Endocrine disorders affect the body’s hormone system, which can influence ovulation, menstrual cycles and fertility.
Co-founder Caroline Mitterdorfer said joining Onto would expand Levy Health’s fertility care tools to more clinics and patients, helping physicians focus on patient care.
Onto opened its first clinic in Chicago in February, with plans for three more in the greater Chicago area.
The company said in April that it would use its new funding, led by Artis and Humania, to support additional operations in the US and expand into the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The Gulf Cooperation Council includes six Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf.
Softening ageing ovaries could help women remain fertile for longer, early animal research suggests.
Fertility declines with age for several reasons, including poorer egg quality, fewer ovarian follicles and the gradual stiffening of ovarian tissue.
Existing fertility treatments, including hormone therapy and in vitro fertilisation, mainly address hormonal imbalances or help eggs mature or become fertilised.
Scientists are now examining whether changing the physical structure of the ovaries could provide another route for future fertility treatments.
Stuart A. Cook, of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Programme at Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, published an accompanying commentary on the research.
Researchers led by Shixuan Wang at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, collected healthy ovarian tissue from younger, middle-aged and older women.
They also examined samples from patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, known as PCOS, premature ovarian insufficiency, or POI, and endometriosis.
PCOS is a hormonal condition that can disrupt ovulation. POI occurs when the ovaries stop working normally before the age of 40, while endometriosis causes tissue similar to the womb lining to grow elsewhere in the body.
Tests of protein levels and gene activity found higher levels of the inflammatory protein interleukin-11, or IL-11, in ageing and diseased ovaries.
In laboratory experiments, the researchers exposed ovarian fibroblasts to IL-11. Fibroblasts are cells that produce connective tissue.
The protein caused the cells to produce excess collagen, a structural material that can build up during scarring and make tissue stiffer.
The researchers then genetically modified mice so they could not respond to IL-11. The animals developed less ovarian stiffening and maintained better ovarian function as they aged.
Similar results were seen in mouse models of PCOS and POI caused by chemotherapy.
In the final part of the experiment, older mice and rats were injected with a nanoparticle treatment containing small interfering RNA, or siRNA, designed to switch off IL-11.
The treatment made the animals’ ovaries less stiff and improved fertility.
Pregnancy rates among older mice rose from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, while average litter sizes also increased.
More rats treated with the therapy became pregnant and produced larger litters.
The approach remains highly speculative and will require considerably more research before its safety or effectiveness in women can be established.
However, the researchers said blocking the inflammatory pathway could eventually form the basis of new fertility treatments.
They said: “We propose that anti-IL-11 therapy represents a promising translational strategy for delaying ovarian ageing.”
W Group has opened applications for W Accelerate with Merck KGaA and M Ventures, inviting reproductive and maternal health startups, scaleups and spinouts to pitch for direct access to global pharma partnership and strategic investment.
Selected companies will pitch on 5th October, competing for the chance to accelerate their growth through commercial partnerships, investment, or both.
This is the third time Merck KGaA, a global leader in reproductive health, has partnered with W Group on the programme, which exists to close the innovation and investment gap in women’s health by connecting the sector’s most promising startups directly with the corporates and investors positioned to scale them.
What Merck KGaA and M Ventures are looking for
This year’s call is focused on breakthrough solutions in female infertility, fertility preservation, adenomyosis, endometriosis, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), ovarian insufficiency, preeclampsia and pregnancy comorbidities.
New for this round, applicants choose between three pathways depending on what they need from the programme:
- The Partnership Lane, for companies seeking commercial collaborations and strategic relationships
- The Investment Lane, for founders looking to connect with investors and secure funding to scale
- The Dual Lane, for innovators pursuing both partnership and investment opportunities
How the Accelerate event works
Selected companies get a 1:1 pitch practice session ahead of time, then a private 30-minute session with Merck KGaA and M Ventures leadership on the day itself, small-group sessions with regulatory and investment strategy experts, an “Ask Merck Anything” roundtable, and a VIP networking reception.
Key dates
- Open call launches: 8th July
- Open call closes: 2nd September
- Notification of successful companies: 11th September
- Pitch day: 5th October
Applications are open now at wplatform.typeform.com/to/KGzviBQM.
News2 weeks agoNew menopause drug approved for use by NHS in Scotland
Hormonal health1 week agoStardust period tracker shares health data, study reveals
News5 days agoZero Candida market set to reach over US$2 billion by 2030 – report
News2 weeks agoWomen’s health draws record $1.55bn in equity as capital spreads beyond the mega-rounds
Insight2 weeks agoSoftening ovaries could extend fertility as women age, study suggests
Entrepreneur2 weeks agoOnto Health acquires diagnostics software company Levy Health
News1 week agoCongress urged to invest over $20bn to close women’s health gap
Menopause1 week agoMany women still confused about perimenopause, research finds
1 Comment