Weight loss drug Mounjaro could reduce effectiveness of birth control pills
BOSTON - Millions of people are taking new injectable drugs to lose weight or control blood sugar, but doctors are warning of unintended pregnancies in some patients taking Mounjaro along with oral contraceptives.
Mounjaro can reduce absorption of "the pill" in the gut and actually carries a warning on its label suggesting that people on "the pill" switch to a non-oral method of birth control. However, many doctors may not be counseling patients accordingly.
It's also not clear whether other hormonal birth control methods, like the patch, could be vulnerable or whether similar medications like Ozempic and Wegovy carry the same risks.
Some doctors recommend that patients space their injection and "the pill" at least one hour apart. Others say patients who want to avoid pregnancy should start using condoms several weeks before starting any of these weight-loss drugs.