Comparison of body weight among hormonal and non-hormonal users in a Malaysian cohort

OBJECTIVES: Weight gain remains an issue for contraceptive users due to the high prevalence of obesity. This retrospective study compares the weight gain between hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive users in government health clinics in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. METHODS: A total of 380 women who had used the same contraceptive method for at least twelve months were recruited in this study. Covariance analysis was done to compare the weight gain between hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive users, while studying the same confounders [age, household income, number of pregnancies, and baseline body mass index (BMI)]. RESULTS: Hormonal methods were more commonly used. The mean weight gain among hormonal users (adjusted mean 2.85, 95% CI 2.45, 3.24) was significantly higher than non-hormonal users (adjusted mean 0.46, 95% CI -0.73, 1.65; p-value <0.001), after controlling for age, household income, number of pregnancies, and baseline BMI. CONCLUSION: The possibility of weight gain following the use of hormonal methods should be investigated and non-hormonal methods should be considered to prevent weight gain.