A new study has provided reassuring evidence for women who become pregnant while taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), a widely used class of medications for diabetes and weight management. Researchers found that continuing these drugs into early pregnancy was not associated with a significantly increased risk of miscarriage, abnormal fetal growth, or major birth defects.

The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, come at a time when the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide and liraglutide has risen sharply worldwide for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The study was led by Dr. Jeremy P. Brown of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and examined pregnancy outcomes among women who had been prescribed GLP-1 receptor agonists shortly before conception.

Researchers analyzed data from 3,572 pregnancies involving women aged 16 to 55 years who received a GLP-1 RA prescription within 90 days before their last menstrual period. The team compared women who continued receiving the medication during the first trimester with those who discontinued treatment before or shortly after pregnancy began.

The analysis found no meaningful increase in the risk of nonlive births, including miscarriage and stillbirth, among women who continued treatment during early pregnancy. The risk of nonlive birth was 29.7 percent among women who continued therapy compared with 27.1 percent among those who stopped, a difference that was not considered statistically significant.

The researchers also evaluated fetal growth outcomes and major congenital malformations. Among live births, continuation of GLP-1 RA treatment was not linked to a higher risk of babies being born too small or too large for their gestational age.

Similarly, the study found no significant increase in the risk of major congenital malformations among infants exposed to the medications during early pregnancy.

Of the 2,529 pregnancies that resulted in live births, more than half of the mothers had received at least one GLP-1 RA prescription after their last menstrual period. Researchers were able to link nearly 1,500 of these pregnancies to infant health records for further analysis.

The findings are particularly important because many pregnancies are unplanned, and women may unknowingly continue taking medications during the early weeks of pregnancy before realizing they are expecting.

The authors noted that while the results are reassuring, they should not be interpreted as proof that GLP-1 receptor agonists are completely risk-free during pregnancy. Current prescribing recommendations generally advise discontinuing these medications when pregnancy is planned or confirmed due to limited safety data.

However, the growing body of evidence may help reduce anxiety among women who experience unintentional exposure during early pregnancy.

"Accumulated evidence provides some reassurance about risk for malformations after inadvertent exposure in women who become pregnant while using GLP-1 receptor agonists," the researchers wrote.

Medical experts say the findings add valuable information to a rapidly evolving area of reproductive and metabolic health. As the popularity of GLP-1 medications continues to grow, understanding their effects during pregnancy has become increasingly important for both physicians and patients.

While further studies are needed to assess long-term outcomes and confirm safety, the new research suggests that accidental exposure to GLP-1 receptor agonists in the early stages of pregnancy may not carry the level of risk once feared.

The authors emphasize that women taking GLP-1 medications should continue to consult their healthcare providers regarding family planning, pregnancy and medication management to ensure the safest possible outcomes for both mother and baby.