When I was a teenager my biggest concern about going on hormonal birth control was the weight gain. 
I was tormented by friends’ stories about those 5-10 pounds that snuck on out of nowhere. So much so, that when I finally did go on the pill I dieted and weighed myself like crazy to make sure my weight stayed the same.
I almost laugh now thinking about my 18 year old self being sooo concerned about a few lbs, especially because at the time I was not at all worried about the nutrient deficiencies, bone loss, gut damage, low sex drive, and hair loss (to name just a few) that actually happened to me.
This begs the question “Of all the potential risks associated with hormonal birth control, how is it that weight gain is the most well known side effect?” 
Perhaps it has something to do with how much emphasis our society puts on women being a certain size and weight? Hmmm…things I think about on the regular.
With all that said, when you gain 10lbs out of the blue and you haven’t changed your diet or exercise routine, it can definitely be a little disconcerting. This is why I want to talk about the connection between hormonal birth control and weight gain.
While weight gain is listed as a side effect of pretty much all types of birth control, progestin-only pills and the Depo-Provera shot can appear to have the biggest effect on weight. It’s important to know these things so you can make an informed decision when choosing birth control.
Progestin-only Pills
This birth control pill, most commonly referred to as the mini-pill, is a little bit different than a regular birth control pill. Most pills deliver the synthetic versions (ethinyl estradiol and progestin) of two different sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. The mini-pill only has progestin in it.
So why would you need a pill that only releases one hormone? Some of the more common situations where the mini-pill is prescribed is when you are breast-feeding because it will not affect your milk production. It is also considered safer for women older than 35 or for women who smoke, or have other medical issues such as high blood pressure and a history of blood clots, and can’t take exogenous estrogens.
Some people believe that because this pill doesn’t contain estrogen that the side effects won’t be as bad, but there is one common side effect that many women on the mini-pill report: WEIGHT GAIN! I have heard this over and over from clients over the years.
The body’s own progesterone, progesterone via hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and progestin can all cause weight gain. When you think about progesterone being the “pro-gestation” hormone, it makes sense. It’s preparing your body for a potential pregnancy.
While not everyone will gain weight on a progestin-only pill, some definitely do! Once you come off the pill you’ll likely lose the weight, especially once you start ovulating again and your hormones stabilize.
Other signs of progesterone dominance are feelings of depression, feeling groggy when you wake up, bloating, water retention, dizziness or spinning sensation, lowered sex drive and fatigue and drowsiness.
Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera is yet another progestin-only birth control method, this time in the form of a shot. At first the advantages of this method sound fabulous: you only have to get the shot every 3 months and you don’t have to remember to take that pesky little pill every day.
One study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that women on Depo-Provera gained “significant” weight while on the Depo shot. Participants’ weight went up an average of 5% of their body weight in the first six months of use. As in if you weighed 150 pounds when you started the shot, you’d gain about 7-8 pounds in the first six months.
The researchers hypothesized that DMPA (the type of progestin in the Depo shot) might be causing the weight gain because it interferes with insulin function in the body.
Definitely check out my Period Party Podcast episode “The Dangers of Depo” with Dr. Poppy Daniels on the side effects of the Depo Provera shot. It’s eye opening!
So, what do you do if your birth control is causing weight gain?
It is my belief that you can avoid these methods of birth control completely. I know this is a scary prospect for many women but I personally think being in charge of our fertility is a much more empowering way to live.
There are so many other serious side effects associated with hormonal birth control that I strongly encourage women to learn about to see if they are experiencing any of them.
If you need help, I’ve created a step by step protocol to help you transition off hormonal birth control (the pill (patch, IUD, implant etc) and take back control of your hormones, your body and your life. Check out my Fix Your Birth Control Protocol here!
I highly recommend a natural birth control method called the Fertility Awareness Method, which I discuss extensively in the Birth Control Protocol. This involves observing your cervical fluid and other fertility signs and taking your basal body temperature each morning.
Using FAM has seriously changed my and my clients’ relationship with our bodies and has provided an immense amount of data to work with. If you want to know more, get your hands on the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, the definitive guide to practicing the Fertility Awareness Method of contraception.
Sources:
- Early weight gain predicting later weight gain among Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Users – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2727133/
- Association of Family Physicians “Progestin-Only Contraceptives” Oct 15 2000; 62 (8): 1849-1850 http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/1015/p1849.html
21 thoughts on “Does the birth control pill cause weight gain?”
My daughter is 17 and has been on the pill probably For 2- 3 years. She has gain over 50 lbs I would guess, and is very depressed, lost motivation. She has also be taking prescribed anti depressants during this time, and I am so worried about her.
She is now off the antidepressants, the doctor Gradually got her off them about 2 weeks ago.
I’m convinced her weight gain is pill related. My wife says no, she said she has to do them to control her periods. I am not convinced. Yes her diet isn’t great but I don’t think it’s just that. I think it the birth control pill. ( irronically my wife got of the pill and dropped 80 lbs) other contributors too. (She has MS and got off some of the different drugs she was on)
I would love my daughter to try a test and get off the pill and see what happens. What do you think?
My daughter is 17 and has been on the pill probably For 2- 3 years. She has gain over 50 lbs I would guess, and is very depressed, lost motivation. She has also be taking prescribed anti depressants during this time, and I am so worried about her.
She is now off the antidepressants, the doctor Gradually got her off them about 2 weeks ago.
I’m convinced her weight gain is pill related. My wife says no, she said she has to do them to control her periods. I am not convinced. Yes her diet isn’t great but I don’t think it’s just that. I think it the birth control pill. ( irronically my wife got of the pill and dropped 80 lbs) other contributors too. (She has MS and got off some of the different drugs she was on)
I would love my daughter to try a test and get of the pill and see what happens. What do you think?
I started taking pop August and So far I’ve gained 15lbs!! This is not normal for me I know my body it did solve my spotting bleeding issues but not sure it’s worth the steady gain I’m so mad doc says that she doubts my weight gain is from the pill .. really I gave not changed my diet or exercise at all I am so conflicted
I took the progesterone only pill for 3 mths in order to try to alleviate PMT symptoms, didnt help a great deal, a little maybe. But boy did I gain weight, 13lbs over 3mths! Ive stopped them and decided to look at diet and exercise to help instead. Never using again.. Has taken my confidence and made myclothes tight! Hoping I lose this fairly quickly to feel better again. Thanks for all the information very helpful.
I’m also so frustrated I just had my daughter almost 3 months ago. After birth my weight was the same k went in for my post part check up weight still the same and decided to go on the mini pill will less then 2 months I have gained 10 lbs it’s so irritating and frustrating to say the least.
Took the mini pill for 3 years and it was the only thing that stabilized my weight. I have been off it for a year (pregnancy – an unfortunate stillborn at 20 weeks) I have been postpartum for 4 months- eating stellar & yoga 5 times a week. ( I am very healthy) I cannot get rid of these 10 pounds. So frustrating & discouraging! I’m actually going back on the mini pill as it was the only thing to help my hormonal balance and weight stabilization. Everyone’s bodies are different & perhaps things that don’t work for some, do work for others?
Im 37, 4 kids, youngest is 8. I was on parsgard for 2 years. After stabbing pains every time I ovulated I had it. Gotten it taken out and started the mini pill 6 weeks ago. My weight has been increasing, despite my healthy eating and walking briskly every morning for one hour…ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! Not not mention my hormones are out of whack! I’ve been irritated and weepy. I’m throwing those pill away this morning. No sex until honey gets his vasectomy. The minipill has brought nothing but torment in the last 4 weeks.
Ugh so sorry you’re dealing with this Mariela! I think the vasectomy is a great idea personally 🙂
I just started taking progestin only birth control pills for my severe PMS and heavy periods that causes me pain. I’ve lost weight instead of gaining weight because high estrogen from estrogen dominance syndrome can cause weight gain. If don’t think some people have about certain things about progestin only birth control pills that trick into being pregnant you won’t gain weight, bottom line don’t think that you’re pregnant when something does trick the brain! I’m a virgin on birth control pills for high levels of estrogen and hormonal imbalances that causes problem with my period. So I can say everyone is different from one another. I also have had risk of ovarian cyst. For some women it is different on they experienced their period and will vary.
Ashley, I encourage you to ask WHY you are experiencing the hormonal imbalances you’ve described. There is an underlying reason for the severe PMS, and heavy periods, and the cysts. That is what you need to be investigating. The pill isn’t going to address the underlying cause. It will only mask the imbalances and the symptoms. Once you’re off of it, you’ll potentially experience all the symptoms again. Just my two cents 🙂
I just started on the pill a month ago, and have noticed quite a bit of weight gain and fluid retention, but if I go off of it, I risk getting migraine headaches which is what I was suffering from before going on birth control.
Hi Sara! You need to figure out WHY those migraines are happening in the first place. There is a reason and you need to find the root cause. The pill is not fixing your migraines, it’s just replacing your body’s endogenous hormones with fake hormones that prevent your body from working the way it’s supposed to.
I had a Mirena IUD inserted after years of very heavy periods and palm-sized clots. I asked for ablation to help with my flow and menstrual issues. The obgyn I was referred to talked me into the IUD, also full of synthetic hormones. I am 40, have polycystic ovarian syndrome and type 2 diabetes. I had worked very hard to lose weight and had maintained it for several years…until I had my IUD inserted in December 2014. My doctor ensured me the hormones would only impact my utrerus and I believed him. Shame on me since I am a registered nurse and know better. Every chemical or drug, pill/drops/cream/insert/shot find their way to our blood stream. Obviously the hormones in the pill, shot, IUD etc run through our systems and throw things off. I am frustrated, angry, and feel misled and lied to by my health care provider. And as I gained thirty pounds over the past year and a half, doing nothing else different besides getting an IUD. I’ve actuyallt been more strict with calories and have exercised more and continue to pack on central weight, my breasts are swollon and trender, I get more migraines, have horrible cramps, and spot most of the time. After making the educated decision to have my IUD removed, then I had to nfind a doctor willing to remoive it. Really? It us my body, my uterus, get it out. I tried three times in one evening tobremoivfe out myself, with no luck. My obgyn and endocrinologist insist the hormones are only in my uterus but cannot figure out why I’ve gained so much weight. They had me track calories and exercise and then my doctor (primary) offered me a prescription for Contrave, a new weight Lois’s drug. What? I finally found a women’s health nurse practitioner who will remove my IUD next week. I hate my body, I hate how I feel, I want to once again lose weight and feel healthy. I think it is disgusting that doctors do not listen to their patients and that women are made to feel like they are crazy and lying about gaining weight because of hormonal birth control. The other funny thing I read that only birth control with estrogen causes weight gain. I think drug companies should speak to or interview actual women, not carefully chosen and paiud participants. Thank you for posting thius topic.
Sorry for all the typos in my post, I’m using my kindle.
Thank you for sharing some of your story Vanessa. I empathize with you, and really hope you’ve been able to feel better since posting here. Sending love to you.
Yes! I was put on the mini pill after my fourth baby and I eat very healthy and I’m active, yet the baby weight has not come off! I was told by my on that it wouldn’t effect my weight “much”, and now I see how wrong they are! Thanks for sharing this!
YOu’re so welcome Mae! Glad it was helpful to you. 🙂
after a year on the depo shot i gained 30 lbs. a coworker said she gained 60 lbs in one year while she was on it. it also gave her frequent migraines, and that’s why she came off of it. it gives me migraines as well, but not very frequently.
Wow Andrea, that must have been pretty awful for you. I am so sorry to hear about this extreme weight gain. Hopefully you’ve come off the Depo if that is what you were wanting to do.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post! Honestly, it’s shocking how little women are being educated publicly about these very important! issues! thanks Nicole. You rock!
Totally agree Caroline! We need to keep rocking the message of body knowledge and empowerment so that women can take back control of their health 🙂