The Aporia · More new US moms are taking GLP-1 drugs

Researchers at the University of Southern California report that prescriptions for GLP-1 diabetes and weight loss medications among new mothers in the U.S. have increased 24-fold over seven years, from 0.8% to 1.9%. The study, based on insurance claims data for over one million births, shows a significant rise among women with gestational diabetes, particularly those who are obese or overweight before pregnancy. Lead author Sih-Ting Cai emphasizes the need for further research given the limited evidence on GLP-1 use during breastfeeding and its effects postpartum.

Written by AI on 2026-10-01, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

University of Southern California researchers have found that the percentage of new mothers receiving prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs, which are used to treat diabetes and promote weight loss, increased 24-fold over seven years. The study, based on insurance claims data from over one million births, shows this figure rose from just 0.8 percent in the first half of 2018 to 1.9 percent by the first quarter of 2025.

Lead author and Schaeffer scholar Sih-Ting Cai emphasized that postpartum is a crucial period for addressing metabolic risks after pregnancy, noting an "explosion" in GLP-1 use among new mothers. However, she highlighted that evidence regarding the effects of these drugs during breastfeeding remains limited, warranting further investigation into their safety and efficacy in this context.

Written for “GLP-1 Drug Use Rising Among New Moms” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 GLP-1 Drug Use Rising Among New Moms

Health · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

This article reads unscored and hedges 18% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

GLP-1 use is way up in a key demographic — rates are 24x higher than in 2018 Different event

New York Post

Hedges 2 of 25 claims Outlet record 66/100

“Article A focuses specifically on new mothers receiving GLP-1 drugs after giving birth, while Article B discusses broader use among US adults for weight loss.”

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Julia Musto

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“Postpartum is a critical window for addressing metabolic risk after pregnancy, and we're seeing GLP-1 use explode in this population,” lead author and Schaeffer scholar Sih-Ting Cai explained in a statement. “Because evidence on GLP-1 exposure during breastfeeding remains limited, rising postpartum initiation warrants further study,” she said.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-01

🔮 The condition typically goes away after the baby is born, but raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and may increase the risk of postpartum depression, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

2026-10-01 · The Independent

More new US moms are taking GLP-1 drugs · assertive framing

More American moms are being prescribed GLP-1 diabetes and weight loss medications after they give birth, first-of-its-kind research published Thursday shows. asserted

research → prescribe → kind

The percentage of new mothers receiving prescriptions for the drugs saw a 24-fold increase over the course of seven years, researchers at the University of Southern California found. asserted

researchers → receive → California

Insurance claims data for over one million births revealed the percentage ticked up from just 0.8 percent in the first half of 2018 to 1.9 percent by the first quarter of 2025. uncertain

percentage → reveal → 2025

But while the drugs have been shown to benefit multiple facets of health in years of research, the effects of the drugs postpartum have not been studied widely. asserted

effects → show → drugs

she → address → study

A major jump for moms with gestational diabetes This study is one of the first to document this surge and also the first to identify which clinical groups – women with diabetes, gestational diabetes, obesity or no documented diagnosis – are driving the growth. asserted

groups → document → growth

Most mothers started taking the drug between 3-6 months after their delivery. asserted

mothers → start → delivery

Mothers with type 2 diabetes had the highest rate of prescriptions, and prescribing increased the quickest among those diagnosed as obese or overweight before their pregnancy. asserted

prescribing → have → pregnancy

The share of those with gestational diabetes – a type of diabetes that forms during pregnancy – starting GLP-1 drugs also rose substantially from 0.4 percent in mid-2021 to 2.7 percent in the first quarter of 2025. asserted

that → form → 2025

Gestational diabetes affects between 5-9 percent of pregnancies. asserted

diabetes → affect → pregnancies

The condition typically goes away after the baby is born, but raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and may increase the risk of postpartum depression, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. uncertain

Centers → go → Control

The authors said the observed uptick was similar to rates in Denmark, as reported in a separate study last year. asserted

uptick → say → study

The study further reveals how the popularity of the medications has exploded since the early 2020s, with more than 30 million Americans now taking GLP-1s. asserted

Americans → reveal → GLP-1s

However, data regarding taking GLP-1 drugs during breastfeeding remains scant. asserted

data → regard → breastfeeding

Taking the drugs during the first trimester does not appear to substantially increase the risk of adverse outcomes, a June study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found. asserted

study → take → Health

But the medications are still not recommended during the postpartum period for breastfeeding mothers, Dr. Jyoti Manekar, an obesity medicine specialist at Georgia’s Northside Hospital healthcare system, said in a post 2025. asserted

Manekar → recommend → post

“There’s limited safety data in lactating women, and it's unclear whether the drug is excreted in breast milk or how it might affect a nursing infant’s growth, metabolism or pancreatic development,” she explained. uncertain

she → ’ → growth

More new US moms are taking GLP-1 drugs

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