I want to take birth control to gain weight

Dear Dr Mitchell,

Is it ethical for me to take Minigynon just because I want to gain weight? What are your views?

Minigynon is an effective method of contraception that contains both oestrogen and progesterone. It is a low dose combined oral contraception containing 30 micrograms of ethanyl estradiol and 0.15mg leveonorgestrel. It is considered both safe and effective when used to prevent pregnancy. In some women who go on the oral contraceptive pill or the injectable contraception (Depoprovera),there can be weight gain and significant bloating. This is usually seen as an undesirable side effect by most users of the methods. Some women actually experience weight loss when they go on the pill. This is more often seen in overweight women with polycystic ovarian disease.

If you need to gain weight, then you should probably try to increase your caloric intake by consuming more frequent meals. Three main meals and two snacks should be aimed for. You should also do some weightlifting to increase your muscle bulk and improve the tone of your muscles.

It is not unethical to go on the pill for the sole purpose of gaining some weight, but it may be unsafe. It is important to ensure that you do not have any contraindications to the use of a hormonal method.

Women who have uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes, severe migraine headaches, past history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, breast cancer, or other oestrogen-dependent cancers should not take the combined oral contraceptive pill. Women who smoke are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke if they take the combined oral contraceptive pills. There is also an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. However vaccination against the human papilloma virus and regular pap smears will significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer.

It is important to get a complete physical examination and blood investigations to determine the cause of any significant weight loss instead of going on the birth control pill to gain weight. It is almost always healthier to be thin than to gain extra weight. The use of the birth control pills for the sole purpose of gaining weight is not a good idea, even though it is not unethical. If you need it to control abnormal menstrual periods, painful menstruation, or for contraception, then it is definitely justified once there are no contraindications. Otherwise, diet and exercise are safer options to undertake.