Hormonal contraceptives less effective for obese women
July 25th, 2010 - 4:58 pm ICT by IANSWashington, July 25 (IANS) Hormonal contraceptives seem to be less effective in preventing pregnancy among obese or overweight women, a study says.
Four of seven studies examined in a review comprising 39,531 women suggest that the heaviest women have the highest risk of pregnancy while using the contraceptives.
“Obese or overweight women should also consider potential health risks from hormonal contraceptives,” said Amitasrigowri Murthy, who directs the reproductive choice programme at Bellevue Hospital Centre in New York, reports The Cochrane Library.
“Some studies show that estrogen-based contraceptives can increase the risk of heart attack, blood clots, high blood pressure and gallbladder disease in obese women, who are already at increased risk for these conditions,” Murthy said.
In a study of oral contraceptive pills, women with a body mass index (BMI) - height to weight ratio - in the overweight range had a higher risk of pregnancy that those in the normal weight range, says a release of Family Health International (FHI) - a global health and development organisation.
“Other contraceptives such as injectable or implantable hormones might be unaffected by body mass,” said study lead author Laureen Lopez of Family Health International.
Many researchers think that metabolic changes associated with obesity - in particular, the amount of body fat - could make hormonal birth control less effective.
“However, we know little about how overweight women metabolise hormonal contraceptives since many studies exclude overweight women,” Lopez added.
- Hormonal contraceptives have mixed success among obese women - Jul 09, 2010
- Pill 'less effective in obese women' - Jul 17, 2010
- Obesity-high blood sugar combo creates pregnancy risks - Apr 12, 2012
- Obese women face higher risk of vein clots - Apr 20, 2012
- A quarter of overweight women think they're normal - Nov 23, 2010
- Birth control pills do not cause weight gain: Study - Jan 20, 2011
- Obesity 'harms sexual health' - Jun 16, 2010
- Obese and overweight women, kids think they weigh less - Mar 24, 2011
- Non oral contraceptives carry higher clot risks - May 11, 2012
- Nearly 25pc of overweight women think they're normal size: Study - Nov 23, 2010
- Fight obesity to fight ailments, say doctors (Nov 26 is Anti-Obesity Day) - Nov 26, 2010
- Pregnant women less able to fight infections - May 02, 2011
- Slimming before pregnancy ensures healthier births - Apr 15, 2012
- Contraceptive pill works equally well in obese and thin women: Study - Aug 17, 2010
- Severely obese women need to watch weight during pregnancy - Feb 12, 2011
Tags: bellevue hospital, body mass index, body mass index bmi, cochrane library, development organisation, family health international, gallbladder disease, health and development, height to weight ratio, high blood pressure, hormonal contraceptives, metabolic changes, murthy, obese women, oral contraceptive pills, overweight women, potential health risks, preventing pregnancy, reproductive choice, risk of heart attack