Birth control side effects

[Arasia]

I am confused about one side effect in particular of birth control--and I'm wondering if someone could clear it up. Weight gain.
I hear some sources say certain forms of birth control cause weight gain, while other sources say the opposite. For instance, currently I'm taking a course on nutrition and pregnancy, and when we went over birth control, the textbook listed weight gain as a side effect of all forms of birth control EXCEPT the pill.
This is strange to me because I know multiple people who have been, or are currently on, the pill--and ALL of them have gained a significant amount of weight, with no lifestyle changes.
Internet research adds even more confusion, because some websites say the pill does not cause weight gain, while others say it does! And for other forms of birth control, the information is just as conflicted!

This is a huge point of concern for me. In high school, I had an eating disorder. I have been in remission, and at a healthy weight, for a few years now. However, if I lost the ability to maintain my current weight, give or take 5 pounds, I could see myself relapsing very very easily. If I started birth control, and I gained weight, my mental health would suffer drastically.

Yet, in the next couple years, I'll probably be getting married. And I do NOT want to get pregnant. So, I'll need to be on birth control. And not gain weight from it. But I have no idea which, if any, form of birth control would be an option!

[Sam W]

Hi Arasia,

There are a couple of things that sound like they are contributing to your confusion. The first is that, while there are some common side effects of birth control methods, everybody's body reacts a little differently, meaning that one person could gain weight while another could not while on the same method. The other is that not all sex ed on the internet is created equal, which can lead to conflicting information. You can read more about that here: Legit or Unfit? Finding Safe, Sound Sex Educators & Support Online

As for your concerns about what birth control would do to your body, there's no way to perfectly predict how your system will react if you go on a certain method. However, when it comes time to discuss what method to go on with a healthcare provider, you should absolutely bring up your concerns about weight gain so the two of you can factor that in to the decision. You can also use tools like our birth control bingo to help you out: Birth Control Bingo!