New research to explore weight loss injections pre-pregnancy

The University of Plymouth and Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust are working with local women and clinicians to understand current perceptions of the jabs
Woman with bare feet and painted toe nails stepping onto some scales

Weight loss injections have grown in popularity – including among women who want to lose weight before getting pregnant. But little is known about the impact they have on those trying to conceive.
Now a new study is looking to understand and influence the advice healthcare professionals provide about using weight loss injections before pregnancy.
Although clinical trials demonstrate that the injectable weight loss medications are effective in helping people to lose weight, they are not recommended for use during pregnancy and current research suggests they should be stopped before trying to conceive.
Working with Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, researchers from the University of Plymouth have been awarded a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) grant to work with women in Cornwall to find out what influences them to take the medication, and what advice they have received from healthcare professionals.
The work is co-led by Dr Kate Maslin and Professor Jill Shawe at the University of Plymouth.

Injectable weight loss medications are a huge topic at the moment, and many women are using them to lose weight before becoming pregnant, in spite of the available evidence.

It is unclear what advice is consistently communicated by healthcare professionals or received by those purchasing online, and that’s what we’re trying to find out. 
It is really important we understand more about how they are currently used, and if and how they could be safely used in relation to fertility and reproductive health.

Kate MaslinDr Kate Maslin
Senior Research Fellow in Maternal and Child Health

Approximately 25% of women begin pregnancy living with obesity. Ensuring women are as healthy as possible before pregnancy, which may include weight loss, is crucial.

We are very pleased to have been awarded this funding and look forward to launching the project in the coming months. 
Although the medications have been approved for weight management in people with obesity meeting certain criteria, they are not yet routinely available through the NHS pathways. Many people are sourcing the medications online – so this work is timely and absolutely vital.

Jill ShaweProfessor Jill Shawe
Professor of Maternal and Family Health

The study will explore the experiences and needs of women of reproductive age (18-45) including those who use weight loss medication, and others who are part of weight management clinics.
Surveys and interviews will also be conducted with healthcare professionals to understand and evaluate the advice they provide about these medications. The results will feed in to future research design to explore if and how these medications can be used for weight loss before pregnancy, to help women have safer and healthier pregnancies.
The two-year study will take place in Cornwall and two other UK sites, thanks to the research team including the University of Newcastle, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Find out more

Colourful vector image of adults and children. 

Future Generations Research Group

Two nurses share patient information by writing it on the patient file

School of Nursing and Midwifery Research

Nursing and midwifery facilities. 

See study options in the School of Nursing and Midwifery