Abstract
Objective
Overweight and obese women may avoid contraceptive methods they believe are associated
with weight gain. The objective of this study was to examine the role of weight and
weight perception on contraceptive use.
Study design
Using cross-sectional data from the MyNewOptions study, we analyzed contraceptive
use among 987 privately insured, sexually active women aged 18–40 years. Contraception
was categorized into three groups: (1) long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs),
(2) non-LARC prescription methods and (3) nonprescription methods/no method. Multinomial
logistic regression was used to model the effect of body mass index category and weight
perception on contraceptive use while controlling for pregnancy intentions, sexual
behavior and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results
Eighty-three (8.4%) women were using LARCs, 490 (49.6%) women were using non-LARC
prescription methods and 414 (42.0%) were using nonprescription methods or no method.
In the adjusted multinomial model, overweight [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.84, 95%
confidence interval (CI) 1.85–7.98) and obese women (aOR 2.82, 95% CI 1.18–6.72) were
significantly more likely to use LARCs compared to normal-weight women. There were
greater adjusted odds of overweight and obese women using nonprescription methods/no
method compared with non-LARC prescription methods, but this finding did not reach
statistical significance. Weight perception was not associated with contraceptive
use.
Conclusion
In this study sample, overweight and obese women were more likely to use LARCs than
normal-weight women. It will be important to further understand how weight influences
women and providers' views on contraception in order to better assist women with individualized,
patient-centered contraceptive decision making.
Implications
Overweight and obese women may be reluctant to use contraceptive methods they believe
are associated with weight gain (i.e., pills, shot), but how that affects contraceptive
use is unclear. Compared with normal-weight women, overweight and obese women in this
study were more likely to use LARCs than non-LARC prescription methods.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 09, 2016
Accepted:
September 4,
2016
Received in revised form:
July 6,
2016
Received:
March 13,
2016
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
