Key takeaways:
You shouldn’t take Zepbound if you’re pregnant. It’s not clear how Zepbound affects pregnancy and developing babies.
Experts recommend stopping Zepbound at least 2 months before trying to become pregnant. This will give you time to clear the medication from your body and transition to a more pregnancy-safe care plan.
Early studies suggest that Zepbound doesn’t pass to breastmilk in high amounts. But there’s not enough evidence yet showing that it’s safe to nurse while taking Zepbound.
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Zepbound (tirzepatide) is an injectable medication that’s FDA approved for chronic weight management and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment in certain adults. As more people begin using it, questions about Zepbound and pregnancy are becoming more and more common. If you’re planning on becoming pregnant, it’s natural to wonder how this medication may impact you and your developing baby.
Here’s what the research shows so far, and what experts are recommending when it comes to Zepbound in pregnancy.
How does Zepbound work?
The active ingredient in Zepbound is tirzepatide. It’s often referred to as a “twincretin.” This is because it activates the receptors of two incretin hormones naturally found in your gut: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).
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Tirzepatide works throughout your body to:
Slow how fast food empties from your stomach, which may help you to stay full for longer
Reduce your appetite and food cravings by affecting certain parts of your brain
Help your pancreas make insulin and your liver to make less sugar, which helps your body regulate glucose (blood sugar)
Influence hunger-related hormones
Reduce certain inflammatory chemicals that play a role in OSA
These effects can help people lose excess weight and maintain weight loss over time.
Is it safe to take Zepbound during pregnancy?
No, it’s not safe to take Zepbound during pregnancy. Zepbound’s manufacturer, the FDA, and medical experts recommend stopping Zepbound before trying to become pregnant.
And, if you’re taking Zepbound and become pregnant, you should stop taking it as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.
Clinical trials excluded pregnant participants from all of their safety studies. So, there’s no evidence that Zepbound is safe during pregnancy.
Zepbound also takes time to leave your body. So, there’s a risk of ongoing medication exposure, even after you stop taking the medication. That’s why experts recommend stopping Zepbound before you become pregnant, and not simply waiting until you’re pregnant. Many experts also recommend taking birth control if you’re taking Zepbound, so you don’t accidentally become pregnant.
What are the risks of taking Zepbound during pregnancy?
There haven’t been any human studies on Zepbound use during pregnancy.
But, in animal studies, exposure to Zepbound during pregnancy was linked to serious birth defects and miscarriages. Results from animal studies don’t always reliably predict how medication will affect humans. But these findings raise concerns about a potential link between Zepbound, pregnancy, and birth defects.
Experts and Zepbound’s manufacturers also point out that Zepbound doesn’t offer any benefits that may outweigh these potential risks. Right now, there aren’t any known benefits to losing weight during pregnancy. In fact, weight during pregnancy is necessary for a safe and healthy pregnancy.
What should you do if you become pregnant while taking Zepbound?
You should stop taking Zepbound if you find out you’re pregnant. It’s important to contact your healthcare team as soon as possible. They’ll help you create a plan to safely stop Zepbound and find pregnancy-safe strategies to help manage any side effects that might develop from stopping the medication.
You should also consider enrolling with the Zepbound Pregnancy Registry. Zepbound’s manufacturers have set up a registry for people who’ve been exposed to the medication during pregnancy. This can help researchers understand how the medication affects human pregnancy. You can contact the registry at 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) for more information.
When should you stop Zepbound before trying to get pregnant?
It’s safer to stop taking Zepbound before you become pregnant, rather than waiting until you’re pregnant.
But there aren’t clear guidelines on when you should stop taking Zepbound (tirzepatide) before trying to get pregnant. There’s some data that shows it takes about 25 to 35 days for tirzepatide to be cleared from your body. But some people can clear the medication faster, and others may clear it more slowly.
That’s why many experts recommend stopping Zepbound 2 months before trying to conceive. This will give your body time to fully clear the medication. It’ll also give your healthcare team some time to transition you to a different treatment plan to help keep your weight within a healthy range during pregnancy.
Talk to your healthcare team for specific guidance if you’re taking Zepbound and planning to become pregnant.
Can you breastfeed while taking Zepbound?
It’s not clear if it’s safe to take Zepbound while you’re nursing. Clinical trials showed that only a small amount of tirzepatide passed into breast milk. It’s not clear whether a small amount of tirzepatide will have an effect on a baby's health or development.
Until more research is available, it’s best to contact your healthcare team before taking Zepbound while you nurse.
Frequently asked questions
There seems to be a connection between weight-loss medications, like Zepbound, and fertility. But that exact link isn’t totally clear.
Many experts believe the active ingredient in Zepbound (tirzepatide) is linked to things like weight loss, improved hormone regulation, and reduced sleep apnea (OSA). And these improvements may improve and support your fertility.
No, Zepbound can’t cause a false positive on a pregnancy test. There isn’t any evidence that Zepbound impacts the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which is the hormone detected on a pregnancy test.
If you get a positive pregnancy test while taking Zepbound, let your healthcare team know right away. They can help you safely stop taking Zepbound.
Yes, many people can safely take Zepbound after pregnancy. But it may not be safe to take while you’re nursing. Talk with your healthcare team to determine the best time for you to start taking Zepbound after pregnancy.
There aren’t any weight-loss medications or herbal supplements that are considered safe during pregnancy. Instead of medical interventions for weight loss, experts recommend focusing on diet, exercise, and behavioral modifications during pregnancy.
Yes, Zepbound interferes with some forms of birth control. Zepbound slows down how quickly your stomach empties. This can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb birth control pills. The manufacturer recommends using a backup birth control method if you take oral contraceptive pills — for 4 weeks after starting Zepbound, as well as after every dose increase.
There seems to be a connection between weight-loss medications, like Zepbound, and fertility. But that exact link isn’t totally clear.
Many experts believe the active ingredient in Zepbound (tirzepatide) is linked to things like weight loss, improved hormone regulation, and reduced sleep apnea (OSA). And these improvements may improve and support your fertility.
No, Zepbound can’t cause a false positive on a pregnancy test. There isn’t any evidence that Zepbound impacts the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which is the hormone detected on a pregnancy test.
If you get a positive pregnancy test while taking Zepbound, let your healthcare team know right away. They can help you safely stop taking Zepbound.
Yes, many people can safely take Zepbound after pregnancy. But it may not be safe to take while you’re nursing. Talk with your healthcare team to determine the best time for you to start taking Zepbound after pregnancy.
There aren’t any weight-loss medications or herbal supplements that are considered safe during pregnancy. Instead of medical interventions for weight loss, experts recommend focusing on diet, exercise, and behavioral modifications during pregnancy.
Yes, Zepbound interferes with some forms of birth control. Zepbound slows down how quickly your stomach empties. This can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb birth control pills. The manufacturer recommends using a backup birth control method if you take oral contraceptive pills — for 4 weeks after starting Zepbound, as well as after every dose increase.
The bottom line
Zepbound (tirzepatide) is an injectable medication that’s FDA-approved for chronic weight management and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in certain adults. Some people have also noticed that it has surprising reproductive benefits. But the safety of taking Zepbound during pregnancy or while breastfeeding isn’t well studied. Until there’s more human research available on the safety of taking Zepbound during pregnancy, experts recommend stopping the medication around 2 months before trying to conceive.
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References
Alfaiz. A.S. (2025). GLP-1 receptor agonists and preconception planning: Bridging the gap between obesity treatment and reproductive safety, a narrative review. Annals of Medicine & Surgery.
ClinicalTrials.gov. (2023). A study of the effect of tirzepatide on how the body handles birth control pills in healthy female participants. National Library of Medicine.
Coppenrath, V. (2024). Tirzepatide (Zepbound) for the treatment of obesity. American Family Physician.
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). (2026). Tirzepatide. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Eli Lilly and Company. (2022). Zepbound [package insert].
MotherToBaby | Fact Sheets. (2024). Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®, Zepbound®).
Obesity Medicine Association. (2024). Taking weight loss medication during pregnancy: Is it safe?
Stallman, P. (2025). Weight loss drugs may be affecting fertility, but not in the way you may think. Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan.
