Pregnancy brings about so many new experiences, changes to your body, new dimensions to your relationships, and, of course, the beginning of a brand new life.
With all of these new beginnings, it’s easy to forget that some things might need to come to an end, or at least press pause until your baby is born.
Everyone knows that you shouldn’t drink alcohol during pregnancy and that you’ll need to change your diet and lifestyle a little to make sure that your baby has the healthiest start in life, but what about your weight loss journey?
If you’re taking Saxenda for weight loss, you’re going to need to end your treatment if you get pregnant, which may be concerning for those who are happy with the results their medication is giving them.
We’re here to explain why you’ll need to take a break from Saxenda, the risks that continuing would have for your pregnancy, and whether you’ll be able to continue your weight loss medication when your baby is born.
Is it possible to get pregnant while taking Saxenda?
Saxenda is not a contraceptive, so you could still get pregnant while taking this treatment.
The summary of product characteristics for Saxenda injections states that no harmful effects to fertility were found during animal studies.
Although there was a slight decrease in the number of embryos that were successfully implanted to begin a pregnancy during tests of the highest dose of Liraglutide, it wasn’t a large enough difference to be considered harmful.
Simply put, if you’re having unprotected sex, you could still get pregnant while taking Saxenda and should look into reliable contraceptive methods if you’re not ready for a pregnancy right now.
What are the risks of taking Saxenda during pregnancy?
There isn’t much data out there about how Saxenda affects women during pregnancy, as most of the information we have on the topic comes from animal studies.
However, the potential risks to yourself and your unborn child are enough to keep Saxenda from being prescribed during pregnancy.
Weight gain is normal during pregnancy, and if you’re losing weight or not gaining enough weight when this can lead to complications for your baby.
You may experience premature birth or your baby may have a low birth weight, which would mean that they would weigh less than 5.5lbs at birth.
Babies who are very small or weigh a small amount will usually need to spend time in neonatal care and will need an incubator to keep them warm, which can be very worrying during your little one’s first days.
The Liraglutide in this medication may also be passed into your breastmilk, so your healthcare team usually won’t prescribe Saxenda until you have finished breastfeeding your child or if you are solely formula feeding for whatever reason.
What should you do if you fall pregnant whilst on Saxenda?
If you fall pregnant while taking Saxenda you should speak to your doctor immediately.
You will need to end your treatment during your pregnancy and your healthcare team will be able to come off the medication safely and responsibly.
They will also be able to address any of your ongoing concerns about your weight or overall health and how this could affect your pregnancy.
If you’d like to start taking Saxenda again when your pregnancy is over, your prescriber will be happy to discuss that with you when the time comes, providing that you still meet the requirements needed to continue treatment safely.
What should you do if you’re worried about weight gain during pregnancy?
Everyone gains a little bit of weight during their pregnancy and that usually isn’t a bad thing.
During your pregnancy, your body will start to store fats in preparation for creating milk when your baby is born, and of course, you need to take the actual weight of your baby into account!
However, gaining too much weight won’t be good for you or your baby, so it’s important to strike a healthy balance.
Staying active and eating a balanced diet during your pregnancy won’t just help you to manage weight gain, but it will also help to make sure that you and your baby are getting the nutrients you need and that your body is physically prepared for labour.
Whether you’re pregnant or not, a healthy lifestyle is always worth the effort.
We hope we’ve cleared up some of your questions about taking Saxenda during pregnancy.
Remember, the most important thing to do if you get pregnant during your treatment is to speak to your healthcare team right away.
They will be able to help you make the best choices to support yourself and your baby throughout your pregnancy and afterwards.
If you’d like to learn more about Saxenda you should check out some of our other articles about this medication.
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