GLP-1 RAs are increasingly being used to lose weight after childbirth

The use of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for the treatment of diabetes and for weight management is increasing. Semaglutide and other GLP-1 RAs are also being used to support postpartum weight loss, although little is known about GLP-1 RA use for this indication. How these medications affect postpartum hormonal changes and natural weight reduction is unknown. In addition, their safety and impact on early-life weight gain in breastfed children has been poorly studied. To examine the frequency of GLP-1 RA use to support postpartum weight loss, researchers studied postpartum use of GLP-1 RAs using data from the Danish Medical Birth Register. They identified all live births from January 2018 to the end of June 2024. Data were cross-linked to Denmark’s National Prescription Registry to identify all mothers who had filled a prescription for GLP-1 RAs from the day of delivery to 182 days postpartum. The study population was characterized according to GLP-1 RA use by calendar year, prepregnancy body mass index (BMI ≥ 27), history of a diabetes diagnosis prior to delivery date, history of GLP-1 RA use prior to delivery date, parity (1, ≥ 2), and age (< 30, ≥ 30 years). Specific GLP-1 RAs were also classified by drug name to indicate likely indication (e.g., semaglutide: Wegovy for weight management, Ozempic for diabetes). Dulaglutide exposure was rare (n < 5) and therefore not reported. Key results:Of 382,277 pregnancies in Denmark from 2018 through June 2024, 1,549 mothers filled a prescription for a GLP-1 RA within 182 days postpartum.Use was initially low in 2018 (n < 5), but increased gradually to 34 per 10,000 by the second quarter of 2022. This was followed by a sharp increase to 173 per 10,000 in the second quarter of 2024.From 2018 to 2022, use was split between liraglutide (33%; 30% of which was Saxenda) and semaglutide (67%; 36% of which was Ozempic).From 2023 onward, semaglutide accounted for 97% of prescriptions, with 89% being Wegovy (n=1,086).Across both time periods (2018–2022 vs 2023–2024), users were similar in age and parity—most were older than 30 years and two-thirds had more than one child.A higher percentage of users in 2018–2022 had a history of diabetes (37% vs 23%) and a high prepregnancy BMI (86% vs 80%) compared with those in 2023–2024.The investigators conclude that GLP-1 RAs are increasingly being used to lose weight postpartum, particularly since the introduction of semaglutide as a weight loss agent in late 2022. Most GLP-1 RA users were overweight prior to pregnancy and only 23% had a documented diabetes diagnosis, suggesting that the primary indication for use was weight reduction.The researchers point out that the postpartum period represents a phase of maternal physiological and hormonal transition, during which the safety of semaglutide use is poorly documented. Furthermore, the potential short- and long-term risks of postpartum semaglutide use to the breastfeeding infant have not been sufficiently studied. The authors conclude that future research is needed to study the maternal and infant safety of using GLP-1 RAs for postpartum weight reduction. Such research should aid in the development of clinical guidelines for this use and enhance informed shared decision-making between healthcare providers and patients.ReferenceBliddal M, Nohmie G, Damkier P, et al. Increasing postpartum use of GLP-1 receptor agonists. JAMA 2025; Published online November 24, 2025. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2841784 (accessed November 25, 2025).

GLP-1 RAs are increasingly being used to lose weight after childbirth

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics