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Key takeaways
Wegovy is an injectable weight loss drug that may be prescribed to PCOS patients with obesity or who are overweight.
Wegovy will not cure PCOS, but it may reduce PCOS symptoms such as weight gain, irregular periods, and infertility.
Wegovy dosage for PCOS is decided by the prescribing healthcare professional, typically a gynecologist or endocrinologist.
Although they contain the same drug formulation, Wegovy is more likely to be prescribed for PCOS than Ozempic, which is only FDA approved to treat Type 2 diabetes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex, often frustrating condition that causes a hormonal imbalance—typically an increase in androgens, or male sex hormones, which are any hormone capable of developing and maintaining masculine characteristics in reproductive tissues. Testosterone, for example, is an androgen. Women with PCOS experience irregular periods and difficulty losing weight due to insulin resistance.
PCOS treatment options include lifestyle changes and medication. Healthy weight management is vital to managing and minimizing PCOS symptoms. Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, a prescription weight loss medication such as Wegovy may help.
Wegovy (semaglutide) is not explicitly intended for PCOS. However, it is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults who are overweight or have obesity along with a weight-related medical condition. The FDA has also recently approved Wegovy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack, and stroke in certain adults with heart disease.
How does Wegovy work?
Wegovy is an injectable prescription drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk. It is classified as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, which means it acts like a natural hormone called GLP-1, according to Inna Melamed, Pharm.D., a functional medicine practitioner and author of Digestive Reset.
“Wegovy works by mimicking a specific hormone that is involved in appetite regulation,” explained Shawn Rowland, MD, founder and CEO of Jase Medica, a telehealth company. Reduced appetite ultimately leads to weight loss.
“Also, Wegovy increases the production of insulin,” Dr. Melamed said. “Treatment with this drug reduces weight, helps with blood sugar control and, as a result, helps PCOS.”
Benefits of Wegovy for PCOS
Wegovy is indicated for weight management, a problem for many PCOS patients. In fact, most women with PCOS are either overweight or have obesity. But Wegovy is not specifically indicated as a PCOS treatment.
Women with PCOS who are struggling to reach a healthy weight through diet and exercise alone may greatly benefit from Wegovy. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that Wegovy reduced body weight in 80% of PCOS patients with obesity who were unable to lose weight through lifestyle changes alone. These results are likely due to the way Wegovy boosts satiety—the feeling of fullness after meals—and dampens appetite.
But the benefits don’t stop with weight loss. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight with Wegovy may also help improve PCOS symptoms aggravated by weight gain. Some people with PCOS who are overweight experience more regular menstrual cycles after reaching a healthy weight.
Losing weight with Wegovy may also benefit fertility. The irregular periods associated with PCOS can make it very difficult to get pregnant. Research also shows that obesity also disrupts fertility. If a woman with PCOS is trying to get pregnant, weight management is critical to improving her odds—not only can a healthy weight help regulate her menstrual cycle, but it removes the negative impact of obesity on fertility.
Wegovy dosage for PCOS
There is no specific, standardized Wegovy dosage for PCOS. The typical dosing schedule provides a starting point for healthcare providers, but it’s up to the prescriber to determine what is best for each patient.
According to Dr. Rowland, a typical Wegovy dosing schedule starts at 0.25 milligrams (mg) per week and gradually increases until it reaches the maintenance level. Depending on the patient, a maintenance dose may be 1.7 mg or 2.4 mg weekly.
“The treatment plan and the dosing should be individualized for patients with PCOS since there are different factors involved, including the level of inflammation and insulin resistance,” said Dr. Melamed, who recommends consulting an endocrinologist for a PCOS-specific treatment plan.
Many people using Wegovy for PCOS wonder how long it takes to work. One retrospective study published in 2022 in JAMA Network Open found that patients taking semaglutide had an average total body weight loss of 5.9% at the three-month mark and 10.9% at the six-month mark. However, this study did not specifically focus on people with PCOS. Ultimately, results may vary.
Wegovy side effects & warnings
Common side effects of Wegovy include:
Serious side effects may include:
- Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney problems
- Change in vision in people with Type 2 diabetes
- Possible thyroid tumors
Avoid mixing Wegovy with other GLP-1 diabetes medications or weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic (semaglutide), Zepbound (tirzepatide), and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), as this could cause dangerously low blood glucose.
Always discuss potential drug and food interactions with your healthcare provider before starting a new medication, including Wegovy. Although it’s not taken by mouth, Wegovy may still affect how other medications work in your body.
Wegovy vs. other treatments for PCOS
Wegovy is not the only weight loss medication prescribed to people with PCOS. There are other similar drugs, like Ozempic and metformin, that may be prescribed to help someone with PCOS lose weight.
“Medically, Wegovy and Ozempic are the same,” Dr. Rowland explained. These two injectable drugs have the same active ingredient, semaglutide, but are labeled for different purposes: Ozempic is FDA-approved to treat Type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight management. As the same drug formulation, they are equally effective for PCOS.
RELATED: Wegovy vs. Ozempic: Differences, similarities, and which is better for you
“Other drugs like metformin, which is typically prescribed to patients with PCOS, assist with insulin resistance and could be used in conjunction with Wegovy [or] Ozempic for even better results,” Dr. Rowland said.
Ultimately, only a healthcare provider with a complete picture of a patient’s medical history, conditions, and other prescriptions can choose which treatments for PCOS—or PCOS-related conditions — are best for each patient.
Will insurance cover Wegovy for PCOS?
Wegovy is FDA approved for weight loss in people who are overweight or have obesity. That means insurance may cover it for some individuals with PCOS who meet eligibility requirements. However, eligibility requirements vary by plan, and many insurance plans do not cover weight loss medications at all.
Even insurance providers that do cover Wegovy have strict eligibility requirements and may only cover the drug for a limited time. For example, United Healthcare may cover Wegovy for adult patients who have requested weight loss treatment, have committed to lifestyle modifications (such as dietary support and exercise), and have a body mass index (BMI) at or above 30.
Ultimately, people with PCOS must contact their health insurance providers to find out if any plans cover Wegovy for PCOS. Coverage for all prescription drugs, especially weight loss treatments, varies by plan.
How to save on Wegovy
The cost of Wegovy without insurance or discounts is $1,828.37 for four 2.4 mg/0.75 ml auto-injector pens, which is typically a month’s supply.
The good news is that there are ways to save on Wegovy, including:
- Using Wegovy coupons – SingleCare offers a prescription drug discount card that provides access to coupons for medications at popular pharmacies across the country. With a Wegovy coupon from SingleCare, you could save about $600 on your prescription, depending on which pharmacy you choose.
- Switching insurance plans – Different insurance companies and plans offer different prescription drug coverage, which is why it is important to choose your insurance plans wisely during the next Open Enrollment Period.
RELATED: How to get Wegovy covered by insurance
- Applying for a manufacturer savings card. Drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk offers a Wegovy Savings Card to eligible individuals. You can find out more about it on the manufacturer’s website.
RELATED: Can you really get Wegovy for $25?
Sources
- Androgen physiology, pharmacology, use and misuse, Endotext [internet] (2020)
- Weight management interventions in women with and without PCOS: A systematic review, Nutrients (2017)
- Semaglutide treatment of excessive body weight in obese PCOS patients unresponsive to lifestyle programs, Journal of Clinical Medicine (2023)
- Obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome, Obesity Management (2007)
- Obesity as disruptor of the female fertility, Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (2018)
- Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: approach to clinical practice, Clinics (2015)
- Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity, Nutrition, Obesity, and Exercise (2022)
- Highlights of prescribing information, Food and Drug Administration (2017)
- Wegovy savings card, NovoCare (2024)
