In this day and age, women have more options than ever when it comes to birth control. But the abundance of choices has become a cause of apprehension and confusion among women – which birth control is best for you? What side effects does each birth control method have? And the most importantly – which birth control methods will not make you gain weight, and which ones will cause weight loss?
It is not uncommon – women start using some kind of hormonal birth control; they find themselves gaining a bit of weight and think that the contraceptive is to blame for it. It is recommended that you discuss all factors and options with your doctor before landing on any particular method. All choices are not the same, and different birth control will have different side effects and results. Read on to find out which birth control does not cause weight gain:
- Birth Control Pills
These are one of the most popular form of hormonal birth control used by women. Birth control pills come in two types:
- Containing estrogen and progestin
- Containing only progestin
Different brands of birth control pills tend to contain varying quantities and types of progestin, which may result in varying side effects across brands. It is rare, but some women have shown an increase in weight after taking birth control pills, but it’s never due to an increase in fat but due to increased fluid retention. As with the other side effects, this weight gain will hardly be noticeable and will subside within a matter of weeks.
- Hormone Implants
Hormone implants are a relatively newer type of birth control, in that a tiny piece of plastic is inserted just under the skin of your upper arm. A hormone implant releases a small dose of the progestin hormone, and you don’t have to worry about contraception for 3 whole years!
Just like birth control pills, the use of implants has shown some sort of weight gain in some women, but there is no evidence to prove that it does cause weight gain in women. You have to remember, your habits also play a major part if you find yourself gaining weight.
- The Patch and the Ring
These are also common hormonal methods of birth control, containing progestin and estrogen. These are also highly effective ways of contraception, although they might have side effects such as skin reactions, headaches, spotting and bloating. Since they have almost the same ingredients as contraceptive pills, they are also unlikely to cause weight gain.
- IUDs
IUD is a T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus. There are 2 different IUDs to choose from: one with a low dose of progestin and the other copper one that has no hormones. These work for 5 years straight, and are highly effective. Since IUDs work inside the uterus, they don’t have any kind of discernible effect on the rest of the body. So again, don’t expect any weight changes there.
- Hormonal Shots
This is the culprit right here. Weight gain amongst women who take hormonal shots is more common than any other form of birth control. If you are totally against gaining any amount of weight, keep clear of the hormonal shots and try the ones above.
As you can see, these are some of the most popular types of contraception available for women. These are not necessarily the reason for your weight gain; factors like genetics, diet and habits also come into play. You can go for IUDs and Implants which are long-term and effective options that will certainly not be a cause for weight gain while using them.
