- Semaglutide (Wegovy) 7.2 mg produced mean weight loss at 72 weeks of 22.6% (premenopause), 19.7% (perimenopause) and 19.8% (postmenopause) with waist reductions of 17.5%, 15.6% and 15.3%.
- SELECT (semaglutide 2.4 mg) showed a 42% lower MACE risk in perimenopausal women and a 13% lower risk in postmenopausal women versus placebo (difference not statistically significant).
- US real‑world cohort (>34,000 women) found Wegovy was associated with 42–45% lower migraine incidence from six months and 25% lower depression incidence versus menopausal hormone therapy alone.
Data sources
Results reported at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) 2026 in Istanbul draw on the STEP UP trial (semaglutide 7.2 mg), the SELECT cardiovascular outcomes trial (semaglutide 2.4 mg) and a US real‑world cohort of >34,000 women.
Weight loss and body composition
In a 72‑week post‑hoc STEP UP analysis, semaglutide 7.2 mg produced mean weight loss of 22.6% (premenopause), 19.7% (perimenopause) and 19.8% (postmenopause), with 41.4% of premenopausal women achieving ≥25% weight loss; waist circumference fell 17.5%, 15.6% and 15.3% respectively, and nearly half shifted from obesity (BMI ≥30) to overweight or normal BMI.
Cardiovascular outcomes
SELECT subgroup analyses in women with obesity and established CVD showed a 42% lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in perimenopausal women and a 13% lower risk in postmenopausal women versus placebo (the difference between groups was not statistically significant), consistent with the overall SELECT findings.
Migraine and mood outcomes
A US real‑world study found women receiving Wegovy had a 42–45% lower incidence of migraine beginning six months after initiation and a 25% lower incidence of depression versus those on menopausal hormone therapy alone; similar risk reductions were seen when Wegovy was used with hormone therapy.
Context
About 504 million women (≈1 in 5) live with obesity, and the menopause transition is associated with abdominal fat gain and increased cardiometabolic risk, contributing to heightened cardiovascular disease risk in women.
