Case report documents high-dose liraglutide exposure in a pregnant woman with obesity, providing safety data for an increasingly common clinical scenario as GLP-1 drugs are prescribed to women of reproductive age.
Pregnancy exposure documentedHigh-dose liraglutide exposure during pregnancy — contributing essential safety data for an increasingly common clinical scenario
What the researchers found
Case report documenting pregnancy outcome after high-dose liraglutide exposure in an obese woman, contributing to the limited safety evidence for GLP-1 drugs in pregnancy.
Why it matters
Millions of women of reproductive age take GLP-1 drugs. Accidental pregnancy exposure will occur. Every documented case adds to the safety evidence that clinicians desperately need to counsel patients.
The numbers in context
Maximum dose: 3 mg subcutaneously daily. Exposure occurred during the first trimester. Child assessment at 14 months postpartum.
How the study worked
Single case report documenting clinical course, pregnancy outcome, and maternal/fetal monitoring after high-dose liraglutide exposure during pregnancy.
Who was studied
One pregnant woman with obesity exposed to liraglutide 3 mg daily during first trimester
What this study cannot tell us
Single case report cannot establish safety. Pregnancy outcomes depend on many factors beyond drug exposure. Case reports may be biased toward unusual outcomes.
How to read the evidence
Preliminary evidence: single case report. Important for building the pregnancy safety evidence base despite limitations.
When this study was published
Published in 2025. Addresses the growing need for GLP-1 pregnancy safety data.
The bigger picture
GLP-1 drugs are not approved for use during pregnancy, and clinical trials exclude pregnant women. As prescribing expands to younger women, pregnancy registry data and case reports like this are the only source of safety information. A growing database of pregnancy outcomes will eventually inform clinical guidance.
Questions still open
- Should pregnancy registries be mandatory for all GLP-1 drugs?
- How long before planned pregnancy should GLP-1 drugs be discontinued?
- Do the known "fertility boost" effects of GLP-1 weight loss increase unplanned pregnancy risk?
Common questions
What if I get pregnant while on a GLP-1 drug?
Do GLP-1 drugs increase fertility?
Read the original research
Exposure to High-Dose Liraglutide in a Pregnant Woman With Obesity.
O&G open, 2(2), e077
Citation
Abushanab, Dina; Mohammed, Haseebur Rahman; Abdul Rouf, Palli Valappila; Thomas, Binny; Al-Badriyeh, Daoud; Elkassem, Wessam; Al-Mohannadi, Halima; Hanssens, Yolande; Khan, Shabina; Mohammed, Shaban; Al Hail, Moza. (2025). Exposure to High-Dose Liraglutide in a Pregnant Woman With Obesity.. O&G open, 2(2), e077. https://doi.org/10.1097/og9.0000000000000077