Use of semaglutide for weight control among women of reproductive age is more common in those using hormonal contraception

1. Among a nested case-control study, use of hormonal contraception was associated with higher subsequent semaglutide initiation for weight control among women of reproductive age. 

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

Weight changes and metabolic symptoms are common side effects associated with hormonal contraception available for women of reproductive age. In patients where these changes are undesirable, stopping the contraception or finding alternative methods to weight control may be utilized. Semaglutide, an GLP-1 receptor agonist, is a high effective and recently popular pharmacologic method for weight loss. In this case-control study, 22694 semaglutide users and 229640 controls were identified across Danish national registries of females aged 12-49 years from 1996-2023. Semaglutide initiation was associated with all methods of hormonal contraceptive use, with adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) ranging from 1.42 (95% CI, 1.34-1.51) for combined oral tablets, 1.63 (95% CI, 1.46-1.82) for progestin-only IUDs, 1.64 (95% CI, 1.47-1.82) for combined oral tablets followed by progestin-only oral tablets, and 2.11 (95% CI, 1.97-2.25) for other utilization patterns of two or more types of contraception. Overall, this study found that semaglutide initiation was more strongly associated with female patients who had previously used hormonal contraceptives, suggesting that concerns about weight gain and weight management related to hormonal contraceptive side effects may influence treatment-seeking among individuals of reproductive age.

Click here to read this study in JAMA Network Open

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