Can You Be on GLP-1 While Pregnant? (October 2026)

01 · The core answer

Can you take GLP-1 while pregnant?

No. For Mounjaro the instruction is plain: it must not be used during pregnancy, and it should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive. If you become pregnant during treatment, stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly.¹

Other GLP-1 medicines have their own product information, so check the leaflet for the specific medicine you use and ask your prescriber. You can read more in our guides on the effects of GLP-1 on pregnancy and GLP-1 pregnancy risk.

02 · What to do

Which situation are you in?

If you are not yet a patient, you can start with a free consultation and raise any pregnancy plans there.

03 · If you get pregnant on treatment

What happens if you get pregnant while on GLP-1?

Stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly. That is the instruction in the prescribing information, and it is the right first step whatever else you are feeling.¹

Do not panic. Many people discover a pregnancy after taking a few doses, and your prescriber and midwife or GP can talk through your own circumstances.

Tirzepatide has a half-life of about five days, so after a final dose it takes roughly four to five weeks to clear the system. There is no way to speed this up, and nothing needs doing while it clears.¹ If you want to report an exposure, you can use the Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹

04 · Planning to conceive

How long should you be off GLP-1 before pregnancy?

For Mounjaro, stop at least one month before trying to conceive.¹ Because tirzepatide takes about four to five weeks to clear, plan the stop with your prescriber so there is no overlap.

Our prescribing team can help you decide when to stop and what support to put in place, such as diet and activity habits, so that progress is easier to keep. Our guide on whether GLP-1 can affect pregnancy goes deeper on timing.

05 · Fertility and contraception

Can you get pregnant on GLP-1?

Yes, it is possible, and you should not assume treatment protects you. Mounjaro is not a contraceptive, and some people become more likely to ovulate as their weight comes down. That is why contraception matters throughout treatment.

Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which can reduce how well oral contraceptive pills are absorbed. The SmPC advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method (such as condoms), for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase. This applies to the pill only — implants, coils and injections are unaffected.¹⁷

Mounjaro is not licensed specifically for PCOS, but many women with PCOS meet the licensed weight-management criteria, and weight loss itself is a first-line recommendation that can improve insulin resistance, cycles and symptoms. Mention PCOS and any fertility plans in your consultation, because improving weight can restore ovulation.¹

06 · Breastfeeding

What about breastfeeding?

Current prescribing information indicates minimal transfer of tirzepatide into breast milk; discuss breastfeeding with your prescriber so the decision reflects your circumstances.¹

Pregnancy and breastfeeding are different questions with different guidance, so do not treat one answer as covering the other. Tell your prescriber at consultation if you are breastfeeding or planning to.

07 · Safety and NHS context

Getting safe support

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber.

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. The primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first. If you are on an NHS route, your GP or specialist is the right person to speak to about pregnancy plans.

Other pages cover related questions: the GLP-1 agonist and pregnancy overview, whether GLP-1 is safe in pregnancy, and the wider class in agonisti GLP-1.