Women are getting off-label Ozempic to treat a misunderstood health issue

Key Points:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), recently renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age and is a complex metabolic disorder causing symptoms like irregular periods, weight gain, and infertility.
• Traditional treatments for PMOS, such as weight loss and metformin, have often been inadequate, leading many women to explore off-label use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, which improve insulin sensitivity and may directly affect ovarian function.
• The use of GLP-1 drugs for PMOS has surged, with prescriptions rising from 2.4% in 2021 to 17.6% in 2025 among affected women, and online interest in fertility-related outcomes linked to these drugs increasing dramatically.
• Despite promising results, including weight loss, improved metabolic markers, and higher pregnancy rates in some studies, GLP-1 drugs are not FDA-approved for PMOS, resulting in limited insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket costs for many women.
• Medical experts see potential for GLP-1 drugs to become a standard treatment for metabolic PCOS, especially for those unresponsive to current therapies, but caution that these medications are not quick fixes and may require long-term use.