Woman's warning after getting pregnant on popular weight loss drug while taking the pill
A mother has urged other women to pay attention to the fine print when using 'skinny jabs', which are becoming increasingly popular.
While the GLP-1 drugs come available under many brand names, they all do the same thing in tricking the brain into thinking that it's full, and helping the body to produce more insulin when needed.
Natasha Major bought Mounjaro injections online back in April in attempts to cut weight and become more healthy before trying for a third child.
Aged 26, Natasha also suffers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), meaning her periods are irregular.
Advert
It also means that she was trying for two years before having her second child.
But the third time around, it took almost no time at all, as she has been left 'baffled' by the whole ordeal.
Six weeks after starting to take Mounjaro, she found that she was pregnant with her third baby, despite taking a contraceptive pill every day.
According to MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency), studies state that Mounjaro can 'reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in overweight people who are advised to use non-oral forms'.
The soon-to-be mother of three had no idea that the effectiveness of her birth control would be reduced as a result of her doses of Mounjaro, as Natasha revealed she stopped using the jabs right after finding out she was expecting.
While she is excited for her third child, she wants to warn other women in similar positions about the risk of taking GLP-1 drugs.
The Brit, from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, recalled: "I thought 'there's no way, how can I have PCOS which gives me struggles with conceiving and also be taking contraception on top of that. How can I fall pregnant?'"
Along with her partner Liam, 27, she explained that while they have two children, they wanted one more.
"Being overweight and pregnant makes it difficult," she admitted, adding: "I knew I didn't want to fall pregnant now but maybe in two or three years we could start trying.
"I've always struggled with my weight, dieting and trying to get to a good size and maintaining it."
The plan was to lose weight with the help of a Mounjaro injections, and she remembered taking her sixth weight loss injection on 6 May.
But following an ovulation test that day which came back darker than normal, she took a pregnancy test which confirmed her suspicions.
"We weren't planning it so at first I was in disbelief. It really baffled me," Natasha admitted.
She admitted that there 'was more panic' when it came to the Mounjaro, as she worried it would affect the baby or increase the likelihood of a miscarriage.
After calling the GP, she was told to call 111, who told her there was no information on the situation.
"All they said was 'if you start bleeding, you're probably miscarrying and to stop taking the Mounjaro'. I had that in my head anyway that I wouldn't carry on taking it," she said.
A nine-week scan confirmed that her baby is healthy, leaving the couple 'happy' as she called the situation 'fortunate' as she wanted another child.
She added: "There's still that constant [worry that] I was on [the weight loss jabs] and there were no studies for that.
"Until I've got that baby and they are fine and healthy and everything's gone smoothly, I'll still have that feeling in the back of my mind."
Now, Natasha wants everyone to be aware of the jab's effects on pregnancy, as she can't remember being told that her contraceptive pill would be 'diluted' as a result of the jabs.
She insisted: "There's a lot of people that really don't know that.
"It's just important that you're aware and not put in that position where you have to make a decision about whether you're going to continue a pregnancy."
A spokesperson from Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Mounjaro, said to LADbible in a statement: "Patient safety is Lilly's top priority, and we actively engage in monitoring, evaluating, and reporting safety information for all our medicines.
"The Summary of Product Characteristics for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) explains that tirzepatide "has the potential to impact the rate of absorption of concomitantly administered oral medicinal products" and that the impact "is most pronounced at the time of tirzepatide treatment initiation."
"The tirzepatide Patient Information Leaflet pregnancy section states: This medicine should not be used during pregnancy as the effects of this medicine on an unborn child are not known.
"If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before using this medicine.
"It is recommended to use contraception while using this medicine. If you are a woman with obesity or overweight and are using oral contraceptives, you should consider also using a barrier method of contraception (e.g. a condom) or switching to a non-oral contraceptive method for four weeks after starting Mounjaro and for four weeks after each increase in dose."
Joshua Nair