GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide have become household names for weight loss. But their impact may reach much further—particularly for women. Researchers are exploring how these medications may fit into women’s healthcare throughout different stages of life including fertility and perimenopause.
Sheryl Bingham, DNP, FNP-C, a Women’s Health Specialist at Ogden Clinic, is especially interested in that bigger picture.
“GLP-1s are huge game players because they have a broad range of use,” Sheryl says. “They help improve cardiometabolic diseases, they help with weight loss,” while research continues to explore other potential benefits for women.
PMOS and Fertility
One area getting particular attention is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), the condition formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Learn more about this condition here
The name officially changed in 2026 to better reflect the condition’s effects beyond the ovaries. PMOS involves multiple hormonal and metabolic systems and can affect insulin resistance, weight, menstrual cycles, ovulation and fertility.
Sheryl welcomes the change.
“It’s not an ovarian disease,” she says. “It is truly a cardiometabolic endocrine disease.”
That metabolic connection may help explain why GLP-1 medications are of interest for women with PMOS. Research suggests GLP-1 receptor agonists may improve weight, insulin sensitivity and menstrual regularity in some patients with the condition. Early evidence also suggests potential benefits for ovulation and fertility, although more research is needed.
For someone with PMOS, improving metabolic health may create a better environment for normal hormonal function.
“We’re putting women who haven’t been able to get pregnant because of [PMOS] into a better metabolic position,” she explains.
GLP-1 medications are not fertility drugs, however, and they are not intended for use during pregnancy. Women who take them while preparing for pregnancy should work closely with their healthcare provider on when to discontinue treatment before trying to conceive.
GLP-1s and Menopause
The menopause transition brings another set of metabolic changes. As estrogen levels decline, women may experience changes in body composition, including an increase in abdominal or visceral fat.
This matters for reasons that go beyond the number on the scale. Excess visceral fat is associated with greater risk of insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease and metabolic liver disease.
“We see higher risk of fatty liver and cardiovascular diseases,” Sheryl says. “I am very interested to see where GLP-1s take us in the management of these cardiometabolic issues—particularly in the menopause transition.”
Research specifically examining GLP-1 therapy during perimenopause and menopause is still developing. However, for women who otherwise meet the criteria for treatment of obesity or another approved condition, these medications may offer another tool for managing metabolic risk.
Are GLP-1s a Silver Bullet?
For all her excitement about GLP-1s, Sheryl emphasizes that they shouldn’t replace the basics of long-term health, especially as women age. Losing weight can include loss of lean muscle and potentially affect bone health. That makes nutrition and resistance exercise particularly important.
“If you're not stabilizing your bone and your muscle, then you're wasting bone and muscle, which is going to set you up for long-term complications.”
Sheryl encourages patients to focus on adequate protein and fiber, hydration, daily movement and, importantly, strength training.
GLP-1 Grey Markets
Sheryl urges caution when obtaining GLP-1s or experimental peptides outside traditional medical care. Some drugs promoted online, including retatrutide, remain investigational and are still being studied for safety and effectiveness.
For Sheryl, the most exciting part of GLP-1 therapy isn’t simply its ability to help someone lose weight. It’s the possibility of addressing some of the metabolic factors that influence health throughout a woman’s life.
“We’re getting their body in a really good position,” she says—and increasingly, women’s health providers are looking at what that improved metabolic health could mean for fertility, midlife health and the decades that follow.
Sheryl Bingham is a Doctor of Nurse Practitioner specializing in Women’s Health. She has a passion for metabolic health and hormone management. You can visit her for preventative care, gynecology, or any of the conditions above at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. Learn more or schedule your first visit with Sheryl here.