A new study claims black women tend to gain more weight using contraceptive methods like hormone implants or intrauterine devices (IUD), reports Health24.
In a new small study, researchers found that using progestin-based long-term contraceptives for almost a year, black women gained an average weight of 1.8 to 2.7 kg, in comparison to women of other races who lost or gained weight in smaller proportions, the report said. But blaming the extra weight completely on the contraceptive methods among certain women would not be completely true, says Dr. Jeffrey Peipert.
Dr. Jeffrey Peipert worked on the study which analyzed more than 400 women participants of a larger study. These women were given different contraceptive methods such as copper IUD, injections, implants, or an IUD that released progestin only. Researchers noted the weight gain among the participants varied greatly depending on the method of contraceptives they used. It was found that women using the implants gained more weight compared to those using hormone-free copper IUD.
Researchers noted that age and race played a key role in these variations of weight gain with different contraceptive methods. On comparison, black women gained more weight regardless of any contraceptive method, the report said.
However, Peipert said the weight gain could also be influenced with various factors such as diet and exercise.
"There are many other factors that are involved in weight maintenance, weight gain or loss other than contraception. And these other factors probably are more important than the contraceptive method," Peipert said.
Although the study provides adequate data on weight gain with contraceptives based on race, age and method of contraceptives, researchers says further research on a larger scale would be necessary to confirm these analysis.
"As a result of pregnancy, women tend to gain a lot more weight than they do from a contraceptive method," Peipert said."My take-home message is, don't blame the contraceptive method."
The findings of the study were published in the journal Contraception.
