Mounjaro and Wegovy are not treatments for PCOS, which the NHS now calls polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Both are licensed in the UK for weight management, so if you have PMOS either can be considered for your weight on the same terms as for anyone else, while your GP looks after the PMOS itself. At a BMI of 27 to 29.9, PMOS on its own counts towards Wegovy tablets but not the injections or Foundayo.
This guide covers who can be considered, the pill and metformin, and why none of these medicines can be taken while you are trying for a baby. It covers Mounjaro (tirzepatide), Wegovy injections and Wegovy tablets (semaglutide), and Foundayo (orforglipron). For the wider picture, see our guide to women's health on weight-loss treatment.
PCOS is now called PMOS: what does the NHS say?
The NHS now uses a new name for the condition. Its page reads: “PMOS used to be called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).” PMOS stands for polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome. You will still see PCOS used widely, including by many doctors and in our consultation, so this guide uses both names.
The NHS describes PMOS as a hormone condition that can affect hair growth, periods, fertility and mood. There is no cure, but treatments and lifestyle changes can help. The main symptoms it lists are:
- irregular periods or long gaps between periods
- excessive hair growth or hair loss
- weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- difficulty getting pregnant
- mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety
- oily skin and acne, and feeling very tired
- thick, dark patches of skin on the neck or armpits
The NHS also says PMOS can sometimes increase the risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and that regular check-ups help reduce that risk. Those check-ups stay with your GP.
Is Mounjaro licensed to treat PCOS?
No. None of the four medicines we supply is licensed for PCOS or PMOS. Their UK product information sets out what each one is for:
- Mounjaro: weight management, and type 2 diabetes
- Wegovy injections: weight management
- Wegovy tablets: weight management
- Foundayo: weight management, and type 2 diabetes
None of them is licensed to regulate periods, change hormone levels or help you get pregnant, and we supply all four for weight management. So is Mounjaro good for PCOS? It is not a PCOS medicine. What it can be considered for is your weight, if you meet the criteria below.
What does the NHS usually offer for PMOS?
Alongside a healthy, balanced diet, regular exercise and trying to lose weight if you are overweight, the NHS says PMOS symptoms are sometimes treated with:
- the combined pill, the progestogen-only pill or a hormonal coil (IUS), to help with irregular periods
- clomifene, a medicine used to improve fertility
- spironolactone or eflornithine, to help reduce hair growth on the face and body
- weight loss medicines, if you are overweight
- metformin, a type 2 diabetes medicine, to help with tiredness and weight problems
- skin creams or tablets for acne
These are decided with your GP or a specialist, so for questions about any of them, speak to your GP. Weight loss medicines are on the list for people who are overweight, and that is the part we can help with: we supply them for weight management, which is what they are licensed for, not as a treatment for PMOS.
Can you have weight loss treatment if you have PMOS?
Yes, if you qualify on the same terms as anyone else. Where PMOS makes a difference is a BMI of 27 to 29.9.
- A BMI of 30 or more: PMOS makes no difference to which medicines can be considered.
- A BMI of 27 to 29.9: you also need a weight-related health condition, and which conditions count depends on the medicine, because our pharmacist supplies each one under its own protocol.
For Mounjaro, Wegovy injections and Foundayo, the conditions are the same. Our approved eligibility wording for the injections reads:
Treatment may be suitable if you're aged 18–85 and have a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27–29.9 alongside one of the following: high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
PMOS is not on that list. It is on the list in our pharmacist's protocol for oral semaglutide, together with infertility. So at a BMI of 27 to 29.9, if PMOS or infertility is the single weight-related condition you have, the one medicine we can consider is Wegovy tablets. Our approved eligibility wording for Wegovy tablets reads:
Treatment may be suitable if you're aged 18–85 and have a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27–29.9 alongside one of the following: type 2 diabetes, prediabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, an obstructive lung condition such as COPD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or fertility difficulties linked to weight.
If you also have a condition on the first list, such as high blood pressure or prediabetes, the injections and Foundayo can be considered too. Infertility being on the tablets' list does not make them a treatment for anyone trying for a baby: we cannot supply any weight loss medicine to someone who is pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.
You do not need to work this out yourself. The consultation asks which conditions you have and shows the treatments you can be considered for, and a GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every consultation.
How do Mounjaro, Wegovy and Foundayo compare with PMOS?
| Medicine | PMOS as your one condition at a BMI of 27 to 29.9 | If you take the pill | Stop before trying for a baby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounjaro, weekly injection | Does not qualify on its own | Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 4 weeks after starting and 4 weeks after each dose increase | At least 1 month |
| Wegovy, weekly injection | Does not qualify on its own | No extra precautions, unless you have severe vomiting or diarrhoea | At least 2 months |
| Wegovy tablets, once daily | Qualifies under our oral semaglutide protocol | No extra precautions. Take your pill at least 30 minutes after the Wegovy tablet | At least 2 months |
| Foundayo, once daily tablet | Does not qualify on its own | Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 30 days after starting and 30 days after each dose increase | At least 3 weeks |
What if you take metformin or other medicines for PMOS?
Tell us about every medicine you take in the consultation, including metformin, the pill, spironolactone or anything else prescribed for PMOS. Our pharmacist checks each one alongside your weight loss medicine before anything is supplied. Any change to your PMOS medicines is for your GP to decide, so let them know you are starting weight loss treatment.
With Wegovy tablets, timing matters: after the tablet, wait at least 30 minutes before any food, drink or other medicine taken by mouth, metformin and the pill included. Our guide on how to take the Wegovy pill explains the routine.
What if you take the pill for PMOS?
The NHS lists the combined and progestogen-only pill among the treatments for irregular periods with PMOS. The pill is the same medicine whatever the reason you take it, so tell us about it either way: our consultation asks whether you take the oral contraceptive pill. For Mounjaro, the counselling we give is:
Contraception (Mounjaro only): tirzepatide can reduce absorption of the contraceptive pill. Use a non-oral method or add condoms for 4 weeks after starting and for 4 weeks after each dose increase. Wegovy needs no extra precautions unless severe vomiting or diarrhoea occurs, then follow missed-pill guidance.
For Foundayo, the counselling we give is:
If you use the oral contraceptive pill, use a non-oral method or add a barrier method such as condoms for 30 days after starting treatment and for 30 days after each dose increase.
Wegovy tablets need no extra precautions beyond the 30 minute timing above. A hormonal coil (IUS) is not taken by mouth, and the MHRA names the coil and the implant as non-oral methods to switch to on Mounjaro.
Do not rely on PMOS as contraception. The NHS says PMOS can sometimes cause problems getting pregnant, which is not the same as being unable to get pregnant, and the MHRA asks anyone who could become pregnant to use contraception while taking a GLP-1 medicine and through the gap after stopping. Our guide to contraception and the pill on GLP-1 treatment covers what to do if you are sick or have diarrhoea.
Will Mounjaro or Wegovy change your periods?
We cannot tell you that they will. The UK product information for all four does not list changes to periods as a side effect, and none of them is licensed to make periods regular. The NHS treatments for irregular periods with PMOS, the pill or a hormonal coil, come through your GP.
If a period is late while you are on treatment, take a pregnancy test rather than putting it down to PMOS, and if it is positive, stop your medicine and contact your GP. If your periods change in a way that worries you, speak to your GP. Our guide to Mounjaro and periods has more.
Can these medicines help you get pregnant with PMOS?
No medicine we supply is licensed for that, and we never supply one to help someone conceive. The UK product information for all four says the same thing about fertility: the effect on fertility in humans is unknown. They also must not be taken while you are trying to get pregnant.
If PMOS is making it hard to conceive, your GP is the place to start: the NHS fertility options for PMOS, such as clomifene, are arranged by your doctor. Our guide to Mounjaro and fertility explains what is and is not known.
How do you plan a pregnancy with PMOS on weight loss treatment?
The MHRA says GLP-1 medicines should not be taken during pregnancy, just before trying to get pregnant or while breastfeeding. If you are planning a pregnancy, tell us first and plan the timing with us and your GP, rather than stopping and trying straight away. Stop Mounjaro at least 1 month before, Wegovy injections or tablets at least 2 months before, and Foundayo at least 3 weeks before, and keep using contraception until then. For the injections, the counselling we give every patient reads:
Pregnancy: these medicines must not be used in pregnancy. Stop and contact us or your GP immediately if you become pregnant. If planning pregnancy: stop Mounjaro at least 1 month before, Wegovy at least 2 months before.
When you start trying, the NHS advises 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, ideally from 3 months before, until you are 12 weeks pregnant. Some people, for example those with diabetes, need a higher dose, which a GP can prescribe. If you become pregnant while taking one of these medicines, stop it and contact your GP straight away, then tell us so we can stop any further supply. We do not supply any weight loss medicine while you are breastfeeding. Our guide to Mounjaro and pregnancy has more.
What other help is there for weight and PMOS?
A weight loss medicine is one option among several. NHS Better Health has free tools to help you lose weight and get active, and a GP can give advice about losing weight safely and refer you to weight management programmes, or to a specialist weight management service if you need a lot of extra support. We also supply orlistat, which is not a GLP-1 medicine and is not licensed for PMOS either.
On the NHS, Mounjaro for weight management is being brought in by stages under NICE's guidance (TA1026). Since around June 2026, NHS England's criteria cover a BMI of 35 or more with at least four of five weight-related conditions, and PMOS is not one of the five. Our guide to Mounjaro on the NHS sets out each stage.
How does our consultation handle PMOS?
At a BMI of 27 to 29.9, the consultation asks which weight-related conditions you have; PCOS is on that list. It asks whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding or actively trying to conceive, about the medicines you take and whether you take the oral contraceptive pill, and every reorder asks again about pregnancy and breastfeeding. A GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every consultation before anything is supplied.
If you would like to see whether treatment is right for you, the consultation is free and takes a few minutes: check if you are eligible. To compare the medicines first, see our weight loss treatments.