Does Birth Control Make You Gain Weight

Birth control is a course of action that is taken in order to prevent all possibilities of pregnancy. There are many birth control options, which includes several devices, medications and sexual practices that help the cause of birth control. Different methods of family planning have been in practice since thousands of years. With the advancement of technology, today there are many birth control options that are safe and very effective to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Different Methods of Family Planning

• Barrier method using a barrier like condoms
• Hormonal method using birth control pills
• Emergency contraception
• Non-hormonal method using SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator)
• Intrauterine devices (IUD)
• Sterilization
• Withdrawal and abstinence

All these birth control options actually help the couple to choose birth control method that fulfill their requirements and causes less side effects. It is best to know about the effectiveness of birth control method that you choose and then use it. For instance, the hormonal methods of birth control that are said to be the most effective, may have one or more side effects. Birth control pills and birth control injections which are hormonal birth control methods, are actually a combination of artificial forms of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. The main function of these birth control methods is to prevent the possible contact of sperm and egg, which we know as conception. Birth control pills prevent conception to around 99% and are widely used in modern times along with the condoms. As they deal with hormones, there can be one or more birth control pills side effects.

Does Birth Control Make You Gain Weight: No
Talking about side effects of birth control pills, the first and foremost side effect or 'conceptualized' side effect that comes in mind is weight gain. All woman are conscious about her looks and body weight. In such case, sudden weight gain without any specific reason can terrify her totally. Though not scientifically proven, it is said that hormonal contraceptives make the women go fat! In the year 2006, a researching team from the Family Health International, a non profitable public health advocacy made a survey about the direct effect of birth control on the weight gain. They came up with astonishing results as not a single case out of the 44, showed any direct connection between birth control and weight gain. What is the fact then? Does birth control make you gain weight?

The researches lead us to two different direction, with one in the affirmation and the other in the reversal of the question that is dangling in our mind. Many researchers say no, birth control don't make you gain weight and they also explicate their answer by saying that the women opting for hormonal birth control methods actually start depleting the birth control methods at the point of their age when they are not much aware about their health, importance of proper exercises and healthy diet and they tend to get carried away with the funny part of life that is partying, night outs, alcohol and irregular lifestyle. The result of this unhealthy lifestyle results in weight gain, sooner or later.

Does Birth Control Make You Gain Weight: Yes
A significant number of women actually disagree with this medical observation by saying they gained more than 20 lbs within 2 to 3 weeks of beginning several methods of birth control. That too, without any significant change in their diet and exercise routine. Many doctors and researchers actually agree to what these women say. In many researches, the women complained about bloating, heaviness of breasts, irregular menstruation, fatigue and headaches. Many antagonists said that all this was just the "water weight" and short term effect of birth control, but how long does the short term last?

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) recently published a study report that concentrates on the "I'm-not-crazy-I really-did-go-up-a-size" point of view. During this study the women who gave trials used DMPA (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate), which is a birth control injection known as birth control shot. Women who took DMPA for more than 3 years actually gained 11 lbs, which is an astonishing survey. Women who switched to other oral contraceptives gained 4 lbs more that was more shocking. The biggest surprise came with the reports of the women who switched to non-hormonal contraceptives, because they started to lose the excessive weight with regulated menstrual cycle.

Both the views are very strong and they support their views as strongly. It is also a fact that women who are already more than 150 lbs gain weight on usage of several birth control methods and hormonal birth controls. Now my question is does all birth control make you gain weight? The answer is absolutely negative. There are many effective birth control methods without much side effects. If you are having problem with your birth control method and gaining extra weight, then simply switch to a more natural way of birth control with proper consultation with your gynecologist. Following correct and healthy diet, proper exercise and stress free lifestyle will definitely evade the question - does birth control makes you gain weight?