Most Oana medications are not safe during pregnancy, and several are not safe during breastfeeding. The specifics matter — and if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, this is one of the most important questions to bring to your clinician's attention.
Here's the picture by treatment category:
- Spironolactone not safe during pregnancy. Spironolactone can interfere with the development of male reproductive tissues during fetal development. Should be stopped before trying to conceive. See "If I want to become pregnant in the future, how long should I stop the medication before trying?" in the Reduce Acne section for the full guidance.
- GLP-1 medications (Ozempic®, compounded semaglutide, Buccal Semaglutide) not recommended during pregnancy. Current guidance is to stop GLP-1s before conception, generally with a buffer period that your clinician will discuss. The long-term reproductive safety data is still emerging, and the conservative clinical approach is to discontinue.
- Metformin (oral and topical) often considered acceptable during pregnancy, but case-by-case. Metformin has the longest track record of safety in pregnancy of any of the medications in Oana's catalog, and it's sometimes continued through pregnancy for women with PCOS or gestational diabetes. That said, the decision to continue, adjust, or stop should be made with both your Oana clinician and your OB-GYN — not unilaterally.
- Bupropion not generally recommended during pregnancy. Bupropion is typically discontinued during pregnancy unless the clinical benefits clearly outweigh the risks, and this is a conversation for your prescribing clinician and your OB-GYN together.
- Eflornithine 12% and HairlessHype Generally discontinued during pregnancy. The systemic absorption is low, but conservative guidance is to discontinue during pregnancy and breastfeeding given the limited data.
- Oral Minoxidil and HairPlusPlus not safe during pregnancy. Both should be stopped before trying to conceive.
A few things to know about how to handle this practically:
- Mention pregnancy planning in your medical intake. If you're considering pregnancy in the next 12 months, your Oana clinician can adjust which treatments are appropriate and help you plan transitions ahead of trying.
- If you become pregnant unexpectedly while on Oana medications, message your clinician immediately. Don't stop medications abruptly without guidance — some need to be tapered, and your clinician will provide specific instructions for your situation.
- If you're breastfeeding, mention this in the intake too. Some Oana medications pass into breast milk in amounts that may affect a nursing infant; others don't. Your clinician will recommend what's appropriate for your case.
- Talk to your OB-GYN. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are areas where coordinated care between your Oana clinician and your OB-GYN matters. Your Oana clinician can help facilitate this conversation if helpful.