Can birth control cause weight gain?

If you're on birth control, you've heard of weight gain as a possible side effect.

If this makes you nervous, you're not alone. Many women are concerned about gaining weight while taking birth control pills, and there's good reason for that -- in some cases, the medication can cause slight weight gain and other physical changes.

However, if you take these simple steps, the chances are good that you'll be able to avoid these potential issues.

Birth Control Rings

The NuvaRing is one of three hormonal contraceptives (the others are a patch and a vaginal ring) that fall under a new generation of birth-control products known as combined hormonal contraceptives.

The birth-control ring is placed in your vagina for three weeks out of every four and left out during week four for bleeding.

During those three weeks, it releases estrogen and progestin into your body. Most women using combination hormonal contraception lose up to 5 pounds per year because they don't ovulate; they don't lose weight while using a combination contraceptive because they have no periods but could stop losing weight if they did.

Birth Control Patches

One of these can provide almost all of your daily dose of hormones, and they're placed right on your body, where they can be most effective.

But there's a drawback: This method is one of the most expensive ways to take birth control. You have to pay for all of those patches upfront. (Each costs about $10.)

Then, every three weeks, when a new patch goes on (and an old one comes off), you'll shell out another $10.

Add that up over a year, and it quickly becomes quite an expensive form of contraception—especially if you're only getting your yearly supply free from your doctor.

Oral Contraceptives

If you're on oral contraceptives and experience a sudden change in your weight (in either direction), it might be due to hormones in your birth control.

Often called the pill, the shot, or other names depending on what type of contraception they use (such as NuvaRing), these methods contain two main components: one that prevents pregnancy and another that regulates menstruation and ovulation.

Many pills also contain estrogen, which could affect your appetite or cause fluctuations in your metabolism.

The impact is generally minor compared with other factors that cause our weight to fluctuate—but it still happens.

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Intrauterine Devices (IUD)

While many studies have suggested that women who use specific hormonal birth control methods might experience a small amount of weight gain, IUDs (intrauterine devices) do not cause weight gain. IUDs are placed in your uterus by your doctor during an office visit and stay for three to 10 years, depending on which device is used.

Hormonal IUDs release progestin into your uterus; because progestin prevents sperm from fertilizing an egg, it also works as a form of birth control.

The copper version may cause heavier periods while in place, but neither version will affect your body weight or make you put on pounds.

Natural Family Planning (NFP)

According to one study, women who used NFP had an average of 3.2 more days per month when they did not have sex than women using non-hormonal birth control.

Women on NFP often skip a month of use each year, which means that there are many times in a given year when they will not be protected from pregnancy while they try to conceive.

This is a massive consideration for couples trying to get pregnant. If your goal is baby-making and not just contraception, you might want to consider looking into other options.

Emergency Contraception

One of the contraception's many benefits is that it helps prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, not all forms of birth control are effective against unplanned pregnancies; if you don't use contraception consistently and correctly (or think your traditional method isn't working), it may be helpful to have a backup plan.

Commonly known as morning-after pills, emergency contraceptives are available in most pharmacies without prescriptions.

These hormonal medications typically have fewer side effects than other methods of emergency contraception (like IUD insertion). Studies suggest that using progestin-only EC significantly decreases your risk for unintended pregnancy.

Furthermore, studies show no link between EC use and increased weight gain among women who were already overweight or obese.

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