Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Combination contraceptives: effects on weight.

M F Gallo, L M Lopez, D A Grimes

    The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
    |January 27, 2006
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    'Allocation concealment': the evolution and adoption of a methodological term.

    Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine·2018
    Same author

    Assisted reproductive technology and pregnancy outcomes.

    BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2015
    Same author

    Thyroid function, activated protein C resistance and the risk of venous thrombosis in users of hormonal contraceptives.

    Thrombosis research·2014
    Same author

    Sex hormone-binding globulin as a marker for the thrombotic risk of hormonal contraceptives: reply to a rebuttal.

    Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH·2012
    Same author

    The risk of venous thrombosis in women over 50 years old using oral contraception or postmenopausal hormone therapy.

    Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH·2012
    Same author

    Effect of ethinylestradiol dose and progestagen in combined oral contraceptives on plasma sex hormone-binding globulin levels in premenopausal women.

    Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH·2012
    Same journal

    Interventions to prevent or cease electronic cigarette use in children and adolescents.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Drugs to improve anaemia, quality of life, and physical function in people with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Interventions for smoking cessation in inpatient psychiatry settings.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Mechanical thromboprophylaxis for preventing intradialytic hypotension in people undergoing maintenance haemodialysis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Prognostic models for predicting intensive care unit admission or mortality in critically ill adults not yet been admitted to the intensive care unit.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    Same journal

    Views and experiences of weight management for people living with mobility‑limiting conditions, intellectual disabilities or severe mental illness: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

    The Cochrane database of systematic reviews·2026
    See all related articles

    This review found insufficient evidence to link combination contraceptives to significant weight gain. While concerns exist, studies did not establish a causal relationship, suggesting no large effect on weight for most users.

    Area of Science:

    • Reproductive Health
    • Pharmacology
    • Evidence-Based Medicine

    Background:

    • Combination hormonal contraceptives are widely used for birth control.
    • A common concern among users and clinicians is potential weight gain associated with these contraceptives.
    • This concern can negatively impact contraceptive adherence and continuation rates.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To systematically review and evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the association between combination contraceptive use and changes in body weight.
    • To clarify whether combination contraceptives cause significant weight gain.

    Main Methods:

    • Conducted a comprehensive literature search across multiple databases (MEDLINE, POPLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, LILACS) for relevant studies.
    • Included English-language randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with at least three treatment cycles, comparing combination contraceptives to placebo or different formulations.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzed data using meta-analysis techniques, calculating weighted mean differences and Peto odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals to assess weight changes.

    • Main Results:

    • Three placebo-controlled RCTs found no evidence to support a causal link between combination oral contraceptives or skin patches and weight gain.
    • Comparisons between different combination contraceptive formulations generally showed no significant differences in weight change.
    • Discontinuation rates due to weight gain did not differ between contraceptive groups in the studies analyzed.

    Conclusions:

    • Current evidence is insufficient to definitively establish a causal effect of combination contraceptives on weight.
    • However, the available data do not indicate a large or clinically significant impact on weight for most individuals using these methods.