FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2026 (HealthDay News) — More women are now being prescribed GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Zepbound after giving birth.
A new study finds GLP-1 use among new mothers jumped from less than 0.1% in 2018 to nearly 2% in early 2025 — a 24-fold increase.
Researchers looked at insurance claims covering more than 1 million births over seven years.
The fastest increase in use was among women diagnosed as overweight or obese — up from 0.4% in 2021 to 3.9% in early 2025.
They now account for about 40% of new postpartum prescriptions, according to the results.
Overall, women with type 2 diabetes had the highest rate, with nearly 1 in 6 starting a GLP-1.
Patients are advised to stop using GLP-1s during pregnancy.
After giving birth, most women didn't start right away — nearly 62% waited three to six months.
The lead author said the postpartum period is a critical window for addressing metabolic risk after pregnancy.
"Because evidence on GLP-1 exposure during breastfeeding remains limited, rising postpartum initiation warrants further study," said lead author Sih-Ting Cai of the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics.
This new research could not determine whether the women taking GLP-1s were breastfeeding.
The study was published Oct. 1 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
More information
The Cleveland Clinic has more on GLP-1 medications.
SOURCE: HealthDay TV, Oct. 2, 2026
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