The Pill Doesn't Pack on the Pounds

(HealthScoutNews) -- Despite what many believe, oral contraceptives don't cause weight gain, a new study claims.

Many women never use or stop using oral contraceptives because they're concerned about potential weight gain. However, this study reviewed 39 clinical trials of women using oral contraceptives and found no scientific proof they cause weight increase.

Each of the clinical trials reviewed included weight measurements for women using combined oral contraceptives containing estrogen and progestin for at least three cycles of treatment.

The study was conducted by Family Health International and funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and USAID. It appeared in a recent issue of the The Cochrane Library. That's an electronic database of the Cochrane Foundation, an international organization that says its goal is to help people make informed health-care decisions.

Combined oral contraceptives are the most widely used kind of contraception in the United States and are used by more than 100 million women worldwide. Taken correctly and consistently, these contraceptives are more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.

More information

Here's where you can learn more about oral contraceptives.

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