Contraceptives & Weight Loss

Since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the birth control pill in 1960, women have relied on birth control methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Although birth control is safe for most women, it does come with the potential for side effects. According to the Department of Public Health at Oregon State University, the possible connection between weight gain and contraceptives is one of the most troubling for many women weighing their birth control options.

The Facts

• Birth control, in most of its forms, contributes to weight gain. Some forms of birth control, like the pill, lead to fairly minor weight gain. A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that women taking the pill gained an average of 3.2 lbs. over a three-year period. Women taking birth-control injections, such as Depo Provera, gained more weight, according to the same study, averaging a gain of 11.26 lbs. over the same three-year period.

Effects

• Women who are overweight may also need to lose weight in order for their contraception to be effective. A study published in Obstetrics and Gynecology in January 2005 found that women who had a body mass index (BMI) higher than 27.3 were twice as likely to get pregnant while taking the pill as women who had a healthy BMI. Maintaining a healthy body weight seems to increase the effectiveness of the pill.

  Birth control can also affect your weight by making it harder to gain muscle mass. A study at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas found that women who took daily birth control gained 60 percent less muscle mass working out than women who didn't take contraception.

Identification

• Weight gain from contraceptives causes a health problem when a woman becomes overweight. A 5-foot-5-inch woman is classified as obese at 180 lbs. and overweight at 150 lbs., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A woman whose BMI is higher than 24.9 is also considered overweight.

Significance

• An overweight woman faces a host of potential health problems, including being at increased risk for heart disease, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic health conditions. Some forms of contraception may also increase a woman's risk for these conditions.

Prevention/Solution

• A healthy diet featuring a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, combined with at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week, can help women taking birth control maintain a healthy body weight. Incorporating at least two hours of strength training into your weekly workout can help counteract some of muscle mass loss caused by contraception, according to the Texas A&M University study.

  If your birth control significantly affects your weight even though your regular diet and exercise routine remain the same, see your doctor to consider other birth control alternatives.