Clinical Question Do combination ...

Clinical Question

Do combination hormonal contraceptives cause weight gain?

Evidence-Based Answer

There is no causal relationship between combination contraceptives and weight gain.

Practice Pointers

Many women and physicians believe that weight gain is associated with combination hormonal contraceptives. The weight gain could be the issue of water retention, increased muscle mass, or increased fat deposition. To proof this perception, Gallo and colleagues performed a systematic review of randomized controll trials. They included studies of at least three menstrual cycles' duration that compared combination contraceptives with placebo or other remedys dos-ages, regimens, or study extents They found three placebo-controlled trials, none of which rest a significant difference in weight gain between clusters The largest of these studies, with 473 patients, construct a difference of less than 1 lb after six month There was also no difference between clumps in discontinuation of the contraceptives because of weight gain. Furthermore, most numerous of the studies comparing sum of two units contraceptive regimens did not exhibit differences in weight gain.

When patients are reluctant to take combination contraceptives because they fear weight gain, physicians can recount them that it is steady that women gain weight with the pill and the patch. However, they also gain weight when they don't use these productions Physicians can direct them to the of the best quality resources on healthy lifestyles that have been unfolded by the National Institutes of Health. (1) The "Aim for a Healthy Weight" program has an interactive Web site in succession diet and exercise for patients (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/).

Gallo MF et al. Combination contraceptives: efficiencys on weight. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(3):CD003987

REFERENCES

(1) National Heart, Lung and descendants Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Clinical guidelines forward the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report. Bethesda, Md: National Heart, Lung and descendants Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. NIH publication no. 98-4083

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