Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Lose Weight Safely » Wait, Whats the Connection Between Birth Control and Weight Gain? – Yahoo Lifestyle

Your friend from work swears that she figured out why she suddenly packed on four extra pounds last month: She started a new type of birth control pill. This is a story youve heard beforewe know, we have toobut lets put it to rest once and for all. Its a myth.

How do we know? We asked a doctor. Theres a very minimal to no chance of weight gain for all methods of birth control, saysOB-GYNAdeeti Gupta, M.D., founder and CEO of Walk In GYN Care in Queens, New York. Its a total myth that birth control causes real weight gain.

But your friend swears her pants feel tighter. What gives? We picked Dr. Guptas brain for some more insight.

Not exactly. While its true that no method of birth control will make you gain significant weight or put you at risk of continuously becoming heavier, you might notice a slight, three- to five-pound increase at the very beginning if you start an implant (like Nexplanon) or injectable (like Depo-Provera). But this weight is a hormonal reaction to the new drug in your system that will likely reverse itself after your system levels out, Dr. Gupta advises.

Weight gain is very uncommon, but if someone experiences it after starting one of these methods, she should know it will subside over time, she says. Being on birth control doesnt make it harder to lose weight either, even if the weight is a (rare) symptom of the drug itself.

Dr. Gupta tells us we dont need to stay away from any brands out there if were worried about gaining weight since its the composition of the contraceptive itself, not the drug, that mightwe stress this stronglylead to a few superficial pounds.

Theres no weight-gain risk with a copper IUD, Dr. Gupta says, referring to the intrauterine device (like Paragard) that is inserted into the uterus. Women who opt for a hormonal IUD instead (like Mirena) might see a slight gainthink one to two poundsbut this will come and go swiftly, if at all. Those who opt for the pill (like Loestrin), ring (like NuvaRing) or patch (like Ortho Evra) might notice a little bit of water retention in the first few months, Dr. Gupta says, but this isnt body weight or fat, so it will go away (promise!).

This is true, but these arent your mamas contraceptives. Todays methods of birth control contain a different formula than what was once the norm when the pill was invented in the 1950s. Back then, it contained a whopping 150 micrograms of estrogen, according to the National Institutes of Health, but todays pills and the like have between 20 and 50 microgramsin other words, not enough to make you gain weight.

This medical advancement is just one of the many reasons were lucky to be women in the 21st century instead of in the 50s, when the pill was just emerging (and frankly, not all that great). All the options currently available take into consideration the many different reasons a woman might need or want the prescriptionto treat acne, combat problematic ovarian cysts, prevent pregnancy or help treat PCOSwithout the risks and side effects our moms and aunts had to endure.

So nope, your birth control pill isnt to blame. Case closed.

RELATED: Which Birth Control Is Best for Me? Every Single Method, Explained

Follow this link:
Wait, Whats the Connection Between Birth Control and Weight Gain? - Yahoo Lifestyle

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Lose Weight Safely » Wait, Whats the Connection Between Birth Control and Weight Gain? – Yahoo Lifestyle