‘Ozempic changed my life’: do diabetes jabs boost the chances of conception?

As surprise pregnancies multiply, some scientists are investigating whether weight loss drugs can improve fertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Kathryn started taking Ozempic “off label” in April 2023 on her doctor’s advice. The Illinois resident had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant and was struggling with her weight after the birth of her daughter. Following a short break from the drug in July because of side-effects, she started taking it again in August. In September, she found out she was pregnant. Although Kathryn wasn’t using contraception, the pregnancy still came as a surprise. She had been told by doctors that she was unlikely to conceive naturally, and had been through several unsuccessful rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before giving birth to her first child via IVF. “It was completely unexpected,” Kathryn tells me. “We hadn’t really planned to grow our family quite so soon – my first daughter was only 13 months old.”