TOPLINE:

GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) prescribing increased from 0.2 to 6.4 per 1000 deliveries predelivery and from 0.3 to 14.6 per 1000 deliveries postdelivery between 2019 and 2024. Among recipients in 2024, 57.3% had obesity, while 38.9% had comorbid anxiety disorders.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study examining semaglutide and tirzepatide prescribing among pregnant patients in the US from 2019 to 2024 using the TriNetX database.
• Analysis included deliveries grouped into 6-month calendar periods, ranging from 59,660 to 69,705 deliveries per period, with two independent 12-month exposure windows: 365 days before and after delivery.
• Investigators applied segmented linear regression with data-driven change-point detection to identify prescribing-trend shifts, while common comorbidities were identified using International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes.

TAKEAWAY:

• Predelivery GLP-1 RA prescribing showed significant acceleration after June 2022, increasing by 2.9 per 1000 deliveries per year (95% CI, 2.5-3.4).
• Postdelivery prescribing demonstrated acceleration after March 2021, rising by 4.4 per 1000 deliveries per year (95% CI, 3.8-5.0).
• Among 2024 GLP-1 RA recipients, significant comorbidities included anxiety disorders (38.9%; 95% CI, 36.8-41%), mood disorders (29.3%; 95% CI, 27.3-31.3%), and gestational diabetes (21.4%; 95% CI, 19.6-23.2%).

IN PRACTICE:

“As GLP-1 RA use increases, these findings suggest that obstetric clinicians may increasingly encounter patients who are using or have recently used these medications during the perinatal period. This may prompt consideration of factors not traditionally emphasized in routine prenatal and postpartum care, such as nutritional adequacy in the context of recent weight loss or a history of eating disorders or substance use,” wrote the authors of the study.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Chloe Lessard, MD, MPH, and Caroline Cary, BA, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, and Kevin Young Xu, MD, MPH, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. It was published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

LIMITATIONS:

According to the authors, adjusted or subgroup analyses could not be performed because TriNetX provides aggregated, period-level data rather than individual-level covariates required for multivariable modeling. Additional study is needed to evaluate demographic and clinician-level factors, including insurance coverage and prescriber specialty.

DISCLOSURES:

The study received support from National Institutes of Health grants. Lessard and Cary reported having no potential conflicts of interest. Additional disclosures are noted in the original article.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.