Impact of Combined Oral Contraceptives on Body Weight
A relatively recent study investigated changes in the average body weight of women who used combined oral contraceptives with 30 μg ethinylestradiol (EE) and 3 mg drospirenone (DRSP) or 30 μg EE and 2 mg chlormadinone acetate (CMA) for 6 months, comparing the results between the two groups.
Methodology and Course of the Study
This was a randomized double-blind controlled study conducted between 2012 and 2015. It randomized 99 women to use EE/CMA (n = 45) or EE/DRSP (n = 54). Each participant used contraception for 6 cycles. Their body weight and other parameters were measured upon entering the study and at the end of the 3rd and 6th months, and the occurrence of adverse events was monitored.
Results
The results showed a significant difference in body weight change depending on the contraception used.
At the end of the 3rd cycle, compared to the study entry, the average body weight increased by 0.51 kg (±1.36 kg) in the EE/CMA group compared to an average decrease of 0.43 kg (±1.56 kg) in the EE/DRSP group (p = 0.003).
The average body weight change from study entry to the end of the 6th cycle was +1.0 kg in the EE/CMA group (±1.84 kg) versus –0.2 kg (±2.23 kg) in the EE/DRSP group (p = 0.013).
Similar trends for the individual contraceptive preparations were shown in the average change in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
The difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the groups was not statistically significant.
Conclusion
In this study, oral contraceptives containing 30 µg EE/3 mg DRSP demonstrated a more favorable impact on body weight over a 6-month period compared to oral contraceptives containing 30 µg EE/2 mg CMA, which were associated with an average weight gain of 1 kg. The use of EE/DRSP was not associated with weight gain.
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Source: Wongwananuruk T., Panichyawat N., Panchalee T. et al. Comparison of change in body weight between contraception containing 30-μg ethinylestradiol/2-mg chlormadinone acetate or 30-μg ethinylestradiol/3-mg drospirenone: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care 2020; 25 (1): 43–48, doi: 10.1080/13625187.2019.1688290.
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