Birth Control Jab Is Safe

Basics

oi-Staff

By Staff

Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 14:25

One must have remembered, a few months back, a group of researchers said women who used birth control jab, medroxyprogesterone acetate, more commonly known as Depo-Provera, were are more likely to gain excessive weight.

But now, after months of study on the topic, researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have debunked the myth. They say that their findings will help physicians to counsel patients appropriately. DMPA users whose weight increased by 5 percent within the first six months of use, called 'early gainers', are at risk of continued, excessive weight gain.

However, 75 percent of users gained little or no weight, the early gainers averaged weight gain of 24 pounds over three years. "DMPA-related weight gain," said corresponding author Dr. Abbey Berenson "Is linked to increased abdominal fat, a known component of metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of obesity-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease , stroke and diabetes."

The researchers recommend that physicians need to tailor counselling based on women's risk factors, closely monitor weight at each three-month follow-up visit and suggest a different contraception method to patients who gain significant weight within the first six months of use. It was found that early gainers exhibited three major risk factors-a body mass index under 30, having children before starting DMPA and a self-reported increase in appetite after six months of DMPA use.

The revelation comes after the study which followed a group of women, all aged between 16 and 33 years-old, and all of whom had used DMPA for up to three years.

Through out the research, researchers looked at several potential predictors of weight gain, including age, race, baseline obesity prior to DMPA use, lifestyle variables such as smoking and exercise level, and weight gain at six months.

It was later found that women, who had gained more than 5 percent of their body weight within six months, or after just two injections of DMPA, continued to gain significant weight during the next 30 months.

AGENCIES

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.