When you are choosing a contraceptive option, it is best to do your homework first. Since there is lot to consider like – do you want a hormonal or non-hormonal contraception, can you remember to take it every day, can you deal with potential side effects…mood swings, irregular menstrual cycle and weight gain??

You may have heard that hormonal birth control pills can affect the result on your scale, tipping the meter to the heavier side, to be straightforward. There are many women, according to a board certified Ob/GYN, that tell her they have put on pounds because of taking birth control, but the truth is they probably didn’t.

The confusion of birth control’s effect on weight gain

When the birth control made its debut, the pills had a lot more hormone content than they do now. For comparison, in the 60’s the pill was composed of 10,000 mcg of progestin and 150 mcg of estrogen. Meanwhile, todays’ combination pills like Ovral contain only 50-150 mcg of progestin and 20-50 mcg of estrogen.

However, these new pills were not introduced until the 80’s, by the time old birth control medication had made a name for itself, it had also amassed a lot of criticism, with many women complaining about nausea, water retention, breast tenderness and weight gain.

A slightly different situation

The pill gets a bad reputation due to these misconceptions, but in reality, hormonal methods be it oral tablets or nuvaring, they should not be causing weight gain. A 2015 report, found that when tested there was no strong evidence to be sure that the above mentioned hormonal methods caused weight changes or gain.

A little bloating may happen

Many women buy ovral online or at the pharmacy store, but nevertheless these pills can make your jeans feel a little bit tighter. That is because the progestin content in the tablet can cause some water retention, which can make you feel bloated. However, it is a type of bloat that you feel in your periods, anyways. This also applies to the intrauterine device (IUD) and Nuvaring.

The only contraceptive that can actually make you gain weight is the Depo-Provera shot

Depo-Provera shot involves getting a dose of progestin every three months. As it is taken only once in three months, the shot contains a high dosage of hormones for lasting longer. A research found that statistically Depo shot and weight gain was significantly proportionate. However, there no real-life significance in the research. In fact, a leading gynecology institute commented that the depo shot itself doesn’t make you put on pounds, but irregularities in hormones or thyroid can cause weight gain.

In case you think your contraceptive is making you gain weight, here is what to look for first –

Hormonal oral contraceptive can retain water and potentially increase appetite, but there are other major factors that can be more responsible for weight gain. Such as – when most girls first buy Ovral or other birth control, they are in their adolescence, when they are going to gain weight anyways. While others start while they go out for college, where stress, environmental change, alcohol intake, and exercise can cause them to gain some.