Can I Lose Weight On Birth Control Patch

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

If you’ve ever checked out the side effects of some birth control, you may have noticed both weight loss and weight gain listed.

Birth Control Pill And Contraception Facts

But is there a type of birth control that’s best for weight loss or maintaining your current weight? Read on for a deep, deep dive into the topic.

But it could mean that your body looks different in certain areas and your clothes fit differently. Some people are more prone to water retention than others, which would explain the individual differences.

No form of birth control has been designed for weight loss. But some forms are believed to have less of a chance of creating weight gain.

Faqs: What To Know About A Birth Control Patch

Barrier methods, like condoms and diaphragms, act as a physical sperm-blocking barrier. This means they don’t contain any hormones, and there’s no way they could affect your weight.

But they don’t work as well as other contraceptives — out of 100 people, 18 to 28 will become pregnant each year when relying solely on a barrier method to prevent pregnancy.

Also known as the copper IUD, ParaGard doesn’t contain hormones either. Instead, it uses copper to stop sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg.

Best Birth Control For Weight Loss

It’s also more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, can be kept in for up to 10 years, and can even be used as emergency contraception if needed.

As higher estrogen levels are believed to be linked to weight gain, a pill containing a lower dose of estrogen may help.

One brand, Yasmin, uses a progesterone alternative called drospirenone, which acts like a diuretic. This means you’re unlikely to have water retention.

Things That Can Happen When You Stop Taking The Pill

Although weight loss is listed as a potential side effect of some hormonal contraceptives, no birth control has been designed to promote it.

The only way you may feel like you’ve lost weight is if you’re prone to water retention and use a contraceptive that has a diuretic effect.

For example, you could eat a more balanced diet, engage in more physical activity, and limit the amount of salty, sugary, or fatty foods in your diet. Staying hydrated is also important.

Birth Control And Weight Gain: Why It Happens And How To Prevent It

Even if you do this, it’s possible you might still feel like you’ve gained weight. This is often a temporary side effect caused by water retention.

If you’re not happy with the way your contraception is making you look or feel, consider making an appointment with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

Similarly, if you experience significant weight gain or loss, reach out to a healthcare professional. There could be something else going on in your body that needs examining.

Is Stopping Birth Control For A While A Good Idea?

But one of the hormones in Yasmin, drospirenone, can act as a diuretic. That means it may lead to less or no water retention, giving the illusion that you’ve lost weight.

But a 2016 review found that, on average, people who took a progestin-only pill gained less than 4.4 pounds after 6 or 12 months.

The jury’s still out on if birth control causes weight gain or weight loss. But lots of people have stories of weight-related side effects, so it’s possible.

Here's Why The Pill Is Still My Favorite Birth Control”

That doesn’t mean you should use birth control as a weight loss method, as it’s unlikely to have a significant effect, if any at all.

Finally, if you need a more accessible and affordable way to get hold of birth control, consider online platforms, like Nurx or Hers.

Lauren Sharkey is a U.K.-based journalist and author specializing in women’s issues. When she isn’t trying to discover a way to banish migraines, she can be found uncovering the answers to your lurking health questions. She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on Twitter.

Does Birth Control Really Cause Weight Gain?

Has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission Here’s our process.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

A birth control patch is a square-shaped plastic sticker that looks like a Band-Aid. It’s applied to the skin on certain parts of the body to prevent pregnancy.

What To Expect When Getting Off Birth Control

Two birth control patch brands are available in the United States: Twirla and Xulane. Both are extremely similar, except Twirla contains a slightly lower level of hormones.

By stopping the ovary from releasing an egg each month. They also thicken cervical mucus to block sperm from reaching the egg.

If you first use the patch between days one and five of your period, it’ll be effective immediately. But starting it at any other time means you’ll need a secondary form of contraception, such as condoms, for at least a week.

Twirla: A New Contraceptive Patch

However, not all side effects are negative. Some people specifically use hormonal contraception, like the patch, for some better effects, such as lighter or more regular periods and acne prevention.

With perfect use, it’s 99 percent effective. But the reality is that efficacy rate drops to 91 percent for people who may not follow the directions all the time.

It’s not just how well you use the patch that can affect its effectiveness. Certain medications can affect how well it works, as can a weight of 198 pounds or more.

Things You Should Know About The Birth Control Patch

So you’ll need to use a barrier method, like condoms, during sexual activity to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting an STI to others.

Both quick to apply and straightforward to use, here’s how you put on the patch and swap it for a new one.

Stick the patch to your skin, peeling off the rest of the plastic. Push it against the skin for 10 seconds using the palm of your hand.

Does The Pill Make You Gain Weight?

Each patch is designed to last for a full week. After 7 days, you’ll need to take it off and put on a new one.

It’s a good idea to check your patch is still in place every day. While activities, like short swimming sessions, shouldn’t affect it, the Twirla patch has been known to lose stickiness after 30 minutes in water.

If the patch comes loose less than 24 hours after you first applied it, and it’s still sticky, try to reapply. If it’s not sticky, replace it with a new patch.

Weight Gain, Loss & Birth Control

If your patch is loose or detaches more than 24 hours after you applied it, throw it away and apply a new one. It’s also recommended that you use a method of backup birth control for the next 7 days.

Simply peel it off and dispose by folding it in half so that it sticks to itself. Place in a sealed plastic bag and throw it away in the trash.

Do this for 3 weeks. On the fourth week, you can take a break from using the patch, starting again the week after. During this week, you may have a withdrawal bleed, which is similar to a period.

Birth Control Patch

However, the Xulane patch can be applied during the fourth week to skip this bleed. You may still experience some bleeding or spotting for the first few months.

If it’s been less than 48 extra hours, simply take off the old patch and put on a new one, sticking to your original change day for future swaps.

If you’ve kept it on for 10 days or longer, swap it for a new one and stick to your usual change day.

Birth Control Side Effects Every Woman Should Know

You’ll also need to use a backup form of contraception, like condoms, until you’ve had the same patch on for 7 days in a row.

People who forget to remove the patch after the third week can take it off and apply a new patch on the usual start day. This means a shorter patch-free period.

Both the patch and combination birth control pills use estrogen and progestin to prevent unwanted pregnancy. But they deliver the hormones differently.

Birth Control Patch Side Effects, Risks, And Other Things To Consider

Both are small T-shaped devices that prevent fertilization of the egg and need to be inserted into the uterus by a healthcare professional.

The progestin IUD can prevent pregnancy for 3 to 7 years, depending on the type you choose. And it’s highly effective — fewer than 1 in 100 users will become pregnant.

IUDs are great if you prefer a lower maintenance form of birth control that you don’t need to think about for years.

Do Hormonal Contraceptives Cause Weight Gain?

They can come with some side effects, such as irregular bleeding, for the first few months. The copper IUD can also result in heavier and longer lasting periods compared with other birth control methods.

The vaginal ring is inserted into the vagina and left in place for 3 continuous weeks. On the fourth week, it’s removed. A new one is inserted at the start of each new month.

The ring works similarly to the patch,

What Birth Control Is Best For Me? > News > Yale Medicine