A long-term study done at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has shown that using oral contraceptives (OCs) does not cause weight gain or increased body fat in young women, dispelling one misperception about the use of the pill.

"Women are deterred from using oral contraceptives because they fear it will cause weight gain," said Joanna Moyer, director of women's health at University Health Services.

"Weight gain is the number one most verbalized concern I hear from students about taking birth control pills."

The study, "Oral Contraceptive Use by Teenage Women does not Affect Body Composition" was part the Young Women's Health Study begun in 1990. The study was published in the August 2002 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The study involved 66 female subjects, 39 of whom used oral contraceptives.

They were on birth control pills for an average of 28 months and a minimum of six months.

All 39 users were still on oral contraceptives at age 21, and the other 27 participants did not make use of birth control pills.

Participants also filled out questionnaires about their levels of physical activity so the results would be more accurate.

The results of the study revealed that height, weight, body mass index and body fat were similar for women who used oral contraceptives and women who did not, which supports previous studies.

Since there is no scientific evidence to support an increase in weight from using oral contraceptives, researchers and doctors say women perceive a weight gain that has not actually occurred, or if they have gained weight, it might actually be due to other, outside contributing factors.

"The number one reason women discontinue using OCs is the perception that they are gaining weight," said Tom Lloyd, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and
director of the Young Women's Health Study.

Lloyd said there were two reasons women might perceive a gain in weight from taking oral contraceptives.

First, he said OCs can cause an increase in breast size, which could make women think they may have gained weight.

He said an increase in breast size does not cause any significant increase in weight.

Second, women often feel more bloated just before their period when taking OCs, which also may contribute to their perception of increased weight, Lloyd said.

The study was done with a wide variety of OCs, he said, meaning none of the different hormonal formulations will contribute to weight gain.

Moyer said many women hear false information about OCs from their friends and family.

"The young women hear it through the grapevine that they will gain weight, but it's just anecdotal information," she said.

Moyer said women should talk with their health care providers to get accurate information.

For the small percentage of women who end up gaining weight, Moyer said it is usually a temporary two or three pound increase of water.

The weight disappears after the first cycle or two, she said.

April Montgomery (junior-political science), a sexual health educator with HealthWorks, a peer education outreach program, said most women she talks with are basically knowledgeable about oral contraceptives.

"The female students get pretty good advice from the women's health staff at Ritenour," Montgomery said.

"Most of the students I talk with don't consider weight gain an issue."

It is important to note that many students' diets take a turn for the worse when they come to college, Moyer said.

This is another factor which can contribute to weight gain.

Some students, both male and female, spend more time focusing on excercising their minds while in college than they do their bodies, she said.