Can you take Mounjaro during pregnancy?

We spoke with Dr. Yael Cooperman, MD, about whether it’s recommended to take Mounjaro during pregnancy. 

Since there isn’t enough information from clinical trials about how Mounjaro might affect a developing fetus, it’s generally not recommended to take Mounjaro during pregnancy. That said, some healthcare providers may still prescribe it, and that can seem confusing, but here’s why: 

Mounjaro is prescribed to treat diabetes, and research has shown that diabetes itself is a major risk factor for birth defects. Women with diabetes have a 6-10% chance of fetal abnormalities when their hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)-–an indicator of a person’s average blood sugar over the past few months––is above 7%. The higher your HbA1c, the more out of control the diabetes is considered to be. For women with an HbA1c of 10% and above, the chance of fetal abnormalities skyrockets to as high as 25% (meaning they may occur in as many as one in four pregnancies). So what does that mean? It means that in some cases, a healthcare provider may see diabetes as a bigger risk to the developing fetus than the medication, meaning treating a pregnant patient with Mounjaro could be safer than not treating them. 

If you’re already taking Mounjaro, whether for diabetes or off-label for weight loss, let your prescribing physician know if you are pregnant or trying to conceive. They can work with you to set up a treatment plan that best serves your needs while minimizing the risk to the fetus.

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Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

September 12, 2023

Written by

Yael Cooperman, MD

Fact checked by

Felix Gussone, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Felix Gussone, MD, Ro

Felix Gussone is a physician, health journalist and a Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.