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It can be hard to think of anything else when you’re trying to conceive. And, when the road to having a baby is a long one, it’s understandable to want to do everything you can to increase your odds of success. While your healthcare provider is still your best resource for evidence-based care, you’re probably also doing plenty of research on your own.
Now, two recent studies suggest that using a GLP-1 medication, such as Ozempic, may also help boost fertility in both men and women. While the findings aren’t quite at the level of suggesting that GLP-1s should be prescribed for fertility, they do have some implications for people with certain underlying health conditions.
“Not everyone trying to conceive needs a GLP-1 medication, but for some people, it can be a valuable part of the fertility journey,” says Nirali Jain, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at IVI RMA North America. How can you know if this might be one more helpful tool worth trying? Here’s the deal.
Meet the experts: Alex Robles, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Columbia University Fertility Center; Owen Davis, MD, associate director of the In Vitro Fertilization Program at Weill Cornell Medicine; Brent Hanson, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at IVI RMA North America; and Nirali Jain, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at IVI RMA North America.
What does the data show?
There are two recent studies suggesting that GLP-1s may be helpful for fertility in both women and men. The first is a preliminary scientific analysis published in Fertility and Sterility that examined participants from the RESTORE study to determine whether semaglutide (sold under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) or metformin could improve reproductive health in teens and adults with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS—formerly known as PCOS) and obesity. Researchers found that those who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight with semaglutide had noticeable improvements in reproductive health markers.
Another review of five clinical trials presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting found that GLP-1s might also help boost male fertility, too. These medications “may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters” in men with obesity, the researchers wrote. (However, the study authors stressed that there is a need for larger clinical trials to learn more.)
Why might GLP-1s help fertility?
There may be a few things going on here, according to experts.
When it comes to female fertility, GLP-1 meds may help by improving metabolic health, says Alex Robles, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Columbia University Fertility Center. “In women, weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity can restore more regular ovulation, especially in patients with obesity or PMOS.”
As for the improvements in male fertility, this may be linked to obesity, according to Owen Davis, MD, associate director of the In Vitro Fertilization Program at Weill Cornell Medicine. “It is well established that obesity can impair sperm quality,” he says. GLP-1s may also support better testosterone production, says Brent Hanson, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at IVI RMA North America.
Dr. Hanson points out that GLP-1s reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and decrease visceral fat (fat that builds up around the body’s organs). “All of these factors positively influence the hormonal profile,” he says.
It’s also possible that the medications may directly influence the reproductive system. “Scientists have identified GLP-1 receptors in the ovaries, uterus, testes, and even areas of the brain that regulate reproductive hormones, raising the possibility that these medications may influence ovulation, egg development, endometrial health, and sperm production beyond their effects on metabolism alone,” Dr. Jain says. “While these direct reproductive effects are still being studied, it’s an exciting area of research that could reshape how we think about fertility treatment in the future.”
For now, Dr. Hanson says that doctors know that these medications “can remove metabolic barriers that interfere with normal hormonal processes.”
What’s the takeaway?
If you have obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, or PMOS, you may be a good candidate for a GLP-1 medication, especially if you have excess weight that may be interfering with your fertility, Dr. Robles says.
“However, the timing matters,” he says. “GLP-1s are not something you should use while actively trying to conceive.” Ultimately, if you’re trying to conceive and aren’t getting the results you want, Dr. Robles recommends contacting a fertility expert about next steps.
Carina Hsieh, MPH, is the deputy features editor of Women’s Health. She has more than a decade’s worth of experience working in media and has covered everything from beauty, fashion, travel, lifestyle, pets, to health.
She began her career as an intern in the fashion closet at Cosmopolitan where she worked her way up to Senior Sex & Relationships Editor. While covering women’s health there, she discovered her passion for health service journalism and took a break to get her Masters in Public Health. Post-grad school, she worked as a freelance writer and as The Daily Beast’s first Beauty, Health, and Wellness Reporter.
Carina is an alum of the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Yale School of Public Health. She and her French Bulldog, Bao Bao, split their time between Brooklyn and Connecticut. She enjoys reformer Pilates, (slow) running, and smelling the fancy toiletries in boutique fitness class locker rooms.