Weight-loss treatment and women's health
The pill, planning a pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, PCOS and periods: what changes with Mounjaro, Wegovy, Wegovy tablets, Foundayo and orlistat, from the UK product information and the MHRA.
Reviewed by Jimah Alsaai MPharm, GPhC 2232652, Superintendent Pharmacist, QuickCare Pharmacy
Reviewed October 2026
One service for everyone. Everyone has the same consultation, the same prices and the same pharmacist review. This page brings together the questions women ask us most, medicine by medicine.
Medicine by medicine
Mounjaro
weekly injection- The pill
- Can make the pill less reliable. Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 4 weeks after starting and 4 weeks after each dose increase.
- Stop before trying for a baby
- At least 1 month
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding
Wegovy
weekly injection- The pill
- No extra precautions, unless you have severe vomiting or diarrhoea. Then follow your pill's missed-pill advice.
- Stop before trying for a baby
- At least 2 months
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding
Wegovy tablets
daily tablet- The pill
- No extra precautions. Take your pill at least 30 minutes after the Wegovy tablet, as with any medicine you swallow.
- Stop before trying for a baby
- At least 2 months
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding
Foundayo
daily tablet- The pill
- May make the pill less reliable. Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 30 days after starting and 30 days after each dose increase.
- Stop before trying for a baby
- At least 3 weeks
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding
Orlistat
capsule with meals- The pill
- No direct effect on the pill. If you have severe diarrhoea, use condoms as well, because the pill may not be absorbed.
- Stop before trying for a baby
- No set gap: we do not supply it while you are planning a pregnancy
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not supplied if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding
Whichever medicine you take, the MHRA asks anyone who could become pregnant to use contraception throughout treatment and for the whole gap after the last dose.
The same answers as a table
| Medicine | If you take the contraceptive pill | Stop before trying for a baby | Pregnancy and breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mounjaroweekly injection | Can make the pill less reliable. Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 4 weeks after starting and 4 weeks after each dose increase. | At least 1 month | Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding |
| Wegovyweekly injection | No extra precautions, unless you have severe vomiting or diarrhoea. Then follow your pill's missed-pill advice. | At least 2 months | Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding |
| Wegovy tabletsdaily tablet | No extra precautions. Take your pill at least 30 minutes after the Wegovy tablet, as with any medicine you swallow. | At least 2 months | Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding |
| Foundayodaily tablet | May make the pill less reliable. Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 30 days after starting and 30 days after each dose increase. | At least 3 weeks | Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding |
| Orlistatcapsule with meals | No direct effect on the pill. If you have severe diarrhoea, use condoms as well, because the pill may not be absorbed. | No set gap: we do not supply it while you are planning a pregnancy | Not supplied if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding |
Find your contraception answer
Mounjaro and Foundayo can make the pill less reliable
For a few weeks after you start and after each dose increase, because they slow how quickly your stomach empties.
Not affected
The coil, the implant, the injection, the patch and the ring. Full detail: Mounjaro, Wegovy and the pill.
Mounjaro and the combined pill: extra protection at set times
Can make the pill less reliable. Add condoms or use a non-oral method for 4 weeks after starting and 4 weeks after each dose increase.
The counselling we give: 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.
Pregnancy: Not used in pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Stop before trying for a baby: at least 1 month.
This picks out a row of the table above. Your answers stay on this page: nothing is saved or sent. It does not replace advice from your pharmacist, GP or sexual health clinic.
When to stop
These medicines stay in your body for a while after the last dose, so each has a minimum gap before you try to conceive. More in Mounjaro and pregnancy.
- Mounjaro1 monthat least, after the last dose
- Wegovy2 monthsat least, after the last dose
- Wegovy tablets2 monthsat least, after the last dose
- Foundayo3 weeksat least, after the last dose
- Before thenTell us you are planning. We do not supply weight loss medicines while you are planning a pregnancy, so we will plan your last order with you.
- Sun 1 NovThe NHS advises 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, ideally from 3 months before you get pregnant until you are 12 weeks pregnant.
- Fri 1 JanYour last dose by this date. Keep using contraception until you start trying.
- Mon 1 FebStart trying, at least 1 month after the last dose.
The sum: Mon 1 Feb 2027 − 1 month = Fri 1 Jan 2027.
Worked out on your device. Nothing is saved or sent.
Stop, and tell us
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.
Foundayo
Stop it at least 3 weeks before you try to conceive, and stop at once and contact your GP if you become pregnant.
Breastfeeding
The MHRA advises that GLP-1 medicines should not be taken while breastfeeding, and we do not supply any weight loss medicine to someone who is breastfeeding. See Mounjaro and breastfeeding.
Pregnant and took a medicine before you knew?
Your GP or midwife can advise, and the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) publishes information on medicines in pregnancy.
HRT and treatment
Don't stop your HRT
Tell us what you take in the consultation, and tell your GP you are starting weight-loss treatment.
HRT taken by mouth
These medicines slow how quickly your stomach empties, and there is very little research on HRT tablets taken with them. If you take your progestogen as a tablet or capsule, ask your GP whether another form would suit you.
HRT is not contraception
Until your GP or nurse tells you that you no longer need contraception, the pill advice above still applies to you.
Eligibility is the same at every age between 18 and 85. More in Mounjaro and HRT.
PCOS and weight-loss treatment
PCOS has a new name. The NHS now calls it polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS); it used to be called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These medicines are licensed for weight management, not to treat PCOS, its periods or its fertility.
What it means for your treatment
Their product information says the effect on fertility is not known, so use contraception throughout treatment.
With a BMI of 30 or above, PCOS makes no difference to the options. With a BMI of 27 to 29.9, PCOS on its own can make Wegovy tablets suitable, but not the injections or Foundayo. The consultation works this out, and our pharmacist reviews it. More in Mounjaro and PCOS.
Side effects women ask about
Stop your treatment and seek urgent medical help if you experience: severe, persistent stomach pain, especially spreading to your back, with or without vomiting. This can be a sign of pancreatitis. Sudden pain in the upper right of your tummy, fever, or yellowing of the skin or eyes: possible gallbladder problems. Sudden loss of vision, or loss of part of your field of vision: seek same-day eye assessment. Swelling of the face or lips, difficulty breathing, or a widespread rash: call 999.
Seek advice promptly if you notice: signs of dehydration during vomiting or diarrhoea (dizziness, reduced urination, dry mouth): keep sipping fluids, as dehydration can affect your kidneys; palpitations or a racing heartbeat at rest; a new neck lump, swelling, or hoarseness. If you have type 2 diabetes and use insulin or a sulfonylurea, know the signs of low blood sugar (sweating, shaking, sudden hunger, confusion) and treat promptly.
Not only medicines
A medicine is not the only route. Your GP can tell you about NHS weight management support near you. Every option we offer, orlistat included, is compared on our weight loss page.
Help from elsewhere
Changing contraception: your GP, a sexual health clinic, or a pharmacy offering the free NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. If food or weight feel out of control, the eating disorder charity Beat can help.
Eating well on treatment
Protein at every meal, plenty of fluids, and the NHS vitamin D advice for everyone. Planning a pregnancy? The NHS advises 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, ideally from 3 months before. More in vitamins and supplements on Mounjaro or Wegovy.
Women's health: the guides
- Mounjaro, Wegovy and the Pill: Contraception and Pregnancy on GLP-1 Treatment
- Mounjaro and Pregnancy: Trying for a Baby, When to Stop, and What to Do if You Are Pregnant
- Mounjaro and Breastfeeding: Can You Take Weight Loss Injections While Breastfeeding?
- Mounjaro and Periods: Changes to Your Cycle on Weight Loss Treatment
- Mounjaro and HRT: Weight Loss Treatment During Perimenopause and Menopause
- Mounjaro and PCOS (Now Called PMOS): What Weight Loss Treatment Can and Cannot Do
- Does Mounjaro Affect Fertility? What the UK Evidence Says
- Vitamins and Supplements on Mounjaro or Wegovy: What GLP-1 Users Should Know
Common questions
It can make the pill less reliable for a while. The UK advice is to add condoms or use a non-oral method, such as the coil or the implant, for 4 weeks after starting Mounjaro and for 4 weeks after each dose increase.
Not because of the pill. Wegovy injections and Wegovy tablets are not expected to make the pill less effective. If you have severe vomiting or diarrhoea, follow your pill's missed-pill advice. Take your pill at least 30 minutes after a Wegovy tablet.
Stop Mounjaro at least 1 month before you start trying, Wegovy injections or Wegovy tablets at least 2 months before, and Foundayo at least 3 weeks before. Keep using contraception during that gap, and tell us before your next order.
The MHRA advises that GLP-1 medicines such as Mounjaro and Wegovy should not be taken while breastfeeding, and we do not supply any weight loss medicine to someone who is breastfeeding.
There is no known reason to stop HRT, but there is very little research on taking HRT tablets with these medicines, which slow how quickly the stomach empties. Tell us what you take, and if your progestogen is a tablet or capsule, ask your GP whether another form would suit you.
No. Mounjaro, Wegovy and Foundayo are licensed for weight management, not to treat PCOS, which the NHS now calls PMOS. With a BMI of 27 to 29.9, PCOS on its own can make Wegovy tablets suitable at Solira, but not the injections or Foundayo.
Changes to periods are not listed as a side effect in the UK product information for Mounjaro, Wegovy, Wegovy tablets or Foundayo. If your period is late, take a pregnancy test. See your GP about heavy, unusual or new bleeding.
The side effects women ask us about most concern the pill, periods and hair shedding. Mounjaro can make the contraceptive pill less reliable for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase; Wegovy injections and Wegovy tablets are not expected to. Changes to periods are not listed as a side effect for Mounjaro, Wegovy or Wegovy tablets, and temporary hair shedding is a listed side effect, more likely with faster weight loss.
It can. The UK product information lists hair loss as a common side effect of Mounjaro, mostly mild, and most people in the trials recovered while continuing treatment. Shedding is more likely with faster weight loss. If you notice it, tell us, so your pharmacist can review your treatment.
No. Everyone has the same consultation, the same prices and the same pharmacist review. This page brings together the questions women ask us most, medicine by medicine.
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