JAMA study finds postpartum GLP-1 prescribing rose 24-fold since 2018
Use among new mothers climbed from under 0.1% in 2018 to nearly 2% by early 2025 across insurance claims covering more than 1 million births.
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By Maren Holt · Senior Reporter, GLP-1
Oct 2 09:10 ETSource: Drugs.com
The wire
- 01Researchers analyzing seven years of claims found postpartum GLP-1 initiation rose from below 0.1% in 2018 to nearly 2% in early 2025, with women diagnosed overweight or obese rising from 0.4% in 2021 to 3.9%.
- 02Nearly one in six women with type 2 diabetes started a GLP-1 after delivery, and about 62% waited three to six months, a pattern prescribers and telehealth operators will see in intake volume.
- 03The claims data could not identify who was breastfeeding; lead author Sih-Ting Cai of the USC Schaeffer Center said evidence on GLP-1 exposure during breastfeeding remains limited and warrants further study.
From the source
Read at drugs.comGLP-1 Use Surging Among New Mothers
FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2026 — More women are now being prescribed GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Zepbound after giving birth. A new study finds GLP-1 use among new mothers jumped from less than 0.1% in 2018 to nearly 2% in early 2025 — a...
