What’s the most common reason women give for discontinuing using the Pill: Acne, nausea or wanting to get pregnant? None of the above. It’s because they think it’s made them gain weight. Sometimes it’s merely the fear of gaining weight. Most women who discontinue the Pill switch to something less effective or nothing at all.
According to a recent article by Dr. David Grimes, lead author of the article published in the journal “Contraception,” there is “an elaborate mythology fueled by rumor, gossip, and poor-quality research.” The fact is there’s never been any convincing scientific evidence that the Pill causes weight gain.
If the Pill doesn’t cause weight gain, then how did it get that reputation? Women who take the Pill do gain weight. But so do women who don’t take the Pill. Basically, most women continue to gain weight after they reach their full adult height. On average, women gain about a pound a year from age 20 to 50 for a total of 30 pounds. But we can’t blame it on the Pill.
Many people may think, “Then why do the Pill packet labels list ‘weight gain’ among the side effects?” In clinical trials of drugs, participants are asked to report symptoms they notice. Those that turn up are often listed, even if there’s no proof that they were caused by the drug.
These non-specific symptoms are the vague complaints of everyday life — things like headaches, moodiness and weight gain.
On a side note, there is a link between Depo-Provera (the shot) and weight gain. Some women may experience an increased appetite, which if not carefully managed could lead to increased weight.
But the sad result of this urban legend is that women fearful of weight gain may discontinue using birth control pills or be less diligent about taking them. One thing we can say with complete confidence is that women generally gain 25 to 35 pounds during the nine months of pregnancy. If you’re trying to avoid pregnancy, don’t let this myth about birth control pills cause “baby fat” for you. Send your sexual-health-related questions to [email protected]. Questions will be kept anonymous and answered with medically accurate information.