Zepbound and Birth Control: Is It Safe? Label, Studies
Zepbound can make birth control pills less reliable for a while; add a backup method.
- Verdict
- Fine with care
- Label says
- Listed interaction
Check a GLP-1 interaction
Zepbound facts in brief
Its half-life runs 5 to 6 days. After 5.5 d, half is gone, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (27.5 d).
In SURMOUNT-1, after 72 weeks, the figure was 20.9% of body weight, compared with 3.1% on placebo.
Monthly prices in US dollars include the list price and self-pay offers. Each one comes from the maker's price page.
Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), Eli Lilly 1 2, cnbc.com.
Zepbound and birth control: the verdict
Fine with care
Word for word from the Zepbound label's drug interactions section:
“Advise patients using oral hormonal contraceptives to switch to a non-oral contraceptive method, or add a barrier method of contraception for 4 weeks after initiation”
Zepbound label details
The Zepbound label gives these lines for birth control pills.
| Named in the label | The risk | What the label tells doctors |
|---|---|---|
| Oral medicines | Pills absorbed differently | The stomach empties more slowly, which may change how other pills are absorbed. |
| Birth control pills | Birth control pills may work less well | Birth control pills may work less well for a while because of this. After you start and after each dose increase, add a barrier method or choose a non-oral method. |
Source: the Zepbound label (DailyMed).
What the studies show
- birth control pill interaction noted in the label
The practical rule
For 4 weeks after you start treatment and after every dose increase, add condoms or choose a non-pill method.
Birth control with other GLP-1s
Each label's drug interaction section was checked for this same point.
| Medicine | Birth control pills in the label | Verdict | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ozempic | Not named; general pill caution | Generally fine together | Read the answer |
 Wegovy | Not named; general pill caution | Generally fine together | Read the answer |
 Rybelsus | Not named; general pill caution | Not listed | Not listed |
 Mounjaro | Named in the label | Fine with care | Read the answer |
| Zepbound | Named in the label | Fine with care | Not listed |
 Foundayo | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |
 Trulicity | Not named; general pill caution | Not listed | Not listed |
 Saxenda | Not named; general pill caution | Not listed | Not listed |
 Victoza | Not named; general pill caution | Not listed | Not listed |
| Byetta | Named in the label | Not listed | Not listed |