Will The Pill Make Me Fat?... And Other Common Contraception Questions Answers

Practising
safe sex is a must if you want to take care of your sexual health and
wellbeing, and one of
the first steps to achieving this is using contraception. While you
may think you’re clued up on the subject, there is so much
information that you may sometimes find yourself in doubt. So, let’s
have a look at some of the most commonly asked contraception questions to help separate fact from fiction.

Are all contraceptive pills the same?

Broadly
speaking, there are two different types of contraceptive pill, these
being the combined pill and the mini-pill.

Both are effective in
preventing pregnancy but they contain different types of hormone..
The combined version contains synthetic forms of oestrogen and
progestogen, while the mini-pill contains progestogen only. Some
women are unable to take contraception containing oestrogen, so are
prescribed the mini-pill.

There
are many different brands of each type of contraceptive pill. For
example, popular brands of the combined pill include Microgynon and
Rigevidon. Meanwhile, Cerazette is a widely known version of the
mini-pill. You can access these, and other brands such as Cilest,
Ovranette and the Yasmin pill from LloydsOnlineDoctor, your GP or local sexual health clinic.

Will
the pill make me fat?

It’s
a common misconception that you can gain weight when taking the pill.
Many years ago when it was first introduced, the pill contained much
higher levels of hormones compared to the formulations that are
available today. The high dosage of the older version was associated
with weight gain. However, it has been proven that the newer versions
do not result in this.

While
weight gain and the pill are not connected, progestogen has been
found to increase appetite, and some women may experience water
retention and bloating. This can often be avoided by switching to a
lower dose pill.

Does
taking the pill affect long-term fertility?

There
is no proof that taking the oral contraceptive pill affects a woman’s
long-term fertility. While it’s true that women may find it takes
some time for their menstrual cycle to settle back into a regular
routine once they’ve stopped taking it, using the pill for a long
period of time does not have a detrimental impact on fertility. Many
women find it easy to conceive once they have come off this type of
birth control.

If
you’re in doubt when it comes to sex and contraception, it pays to
look into the facts to make sure you’re in control of your health
and wellbeing.