Ozempic: Is It a Safe Way To Boost Fertility? / Inappropriate Questions Women Get Asked / Is Endometriosis Hereditary? 💭
Hi friend!
In the past few months, people have taken to social media to share some unexpected news: That they got pregnant while taking a GLP-1 agonist. Which, for the record, refers to drugs like Ozempic, which control blood sugar in patients with conditions like diabetes, but have become synonymous with the phrase “weight loss solution.”
One TikTok user shared that she got pregnant while on Ozempic — and several people weighed in to say that they too became pregnant unexpectedly while on Ozempic or another drug in this class (such as Wegovy or Mounjaro).
“My little mounjaro baby is almost 6 months old after trying for over 10 years with PCOS!,” one user commented.
So, is this actually a safe way to boost fertility? We break it all down with the help of fertility specialist Dr. Jessica Ryniec here.
What's New: Fertility Is Not Always a Cinderella Story
"I always swore growing up that I would never drive a minivan. I hated them. Despite having grown up with them to be able to travel with my siblings and parents in my large family, I always imagined a much cooler way to get around. Ironically, I always envisioned having a large family myself — three, maybe four children and a partner to raise them with. I just always envisioned driving something, anything else.
Of all the things I knew for certain about my future, being a mother was and is the most important to me. I have adored children for as long as I can remember and have always dreamed of being a mother. Little did I know that starting and growing a family would be one of my life's greatest challenges and heartaches."
What's Trending: ~80% of Women Live With Hormonal Imbalances
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You Asked, We're Answering:
Q: Can you do back-to-back egg retrievals?
A: Although the short answer is yes, that doesn’t mean you should necessarily start requesting that your fertility specialist add duostim to your IVF protocol. Duostim is when “the patient goes through ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, and then another round of ovarian stimulation starting one to five days post-egg retrieval,” explains Ido Feferkorn, M.D., a fertility specialist with The Reproductive Medicine Group in Tampa, FL.
In recent years, duostim has been considered as a potential fertility treatment, “mainly for patients with a poor response to ovarian stimulation,” says Dr. Feferkorn. Poor ovarian response can result in decreased oocyte (aka an egg cell prior to maturation) production, cycle cancellation, and a diminished probability of pregnancy.
So, how do you know if back-to-back egg retrievals are right for you? We get into the pros and cons here.
Q: Is endometriosis hereditary?
A: If you have a family member with endometriosis, you know it’s more than just a bad period. You’ve seen firsthand how chronic pain affects someone’s quality of life — and the toll it takes on their mental health. It’s natural to wonder if you’ll experience something similar, too.
Here’s what we know: Your risk increases if you have a close family member with endometriosis. More research is needed to understand the link between genetics and the condition fully, but if you have a family history, there are steps you can take to stay ahead of it. Learn more.
Women's Health In The Wild:
From social posts to podcasts to products we're loving, here's the latest in women's health & fertility:
Inappropriate & obnoxious questions women get asked throughout their lifetime
US fertility rates dropped to lowest in a century as births dipped in 2023: CDC data
Lastly, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) — often characterized by hormonal imbalances, irregular periods, excess androgen levels, and cysts in the ovaries — is also one of the leading causes of female infertility. So, what do you need to know if you're trying to conceive with PCOS? In this week's episode of From First Period To Last Period, I sit down with Dr. Jessica Bauer of IVFMD in Florida to discuss everything from tracking your cycle with irregular periods to IVF success rates with PCOS. Because you shouldn't have to try for a year before seeking help if you're not ovulating. Listen here.
xo,
Kristyn