Abstract
Objective
Users of hormonal long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) report weight gain as
a side effect, but few studies have assessed body composition change among LARC users.
We evaluated weight and body composition of healthy women using the levonorgestrel
intrauterine system (LNG-IUS), copper intrauterine device (copper IUD) or etonogestrel
implant (ENG implant). We hypothesized that weight gain and body composition over
12 months would not differ between copper IUD, LNG-IUS and ENG implant users.
Study design
We performed a prospective cohort study of a subgroup of women enrolled in the Contraceptive
CHOICE Project who initiated the LNG-IUS, copper IUD or ENG implant. Inclusion criteria
included lack of metabolic and eating disorders or change in body weight of more than
5% in the 6 months before enrollment. We measured changes in weight and body composition
(body fat percentage, total body fat mass, total lean mass and total body mass) in
women who continued their method for 12 months.
Results
We analyzed data from 149 participants: 85 LNG-IUS users, 31 copper IUD users and
33 ENG implant users. The mean age was 25.9 years, 56.4% were White, 82.5% had some
college education and 67.6% were nulliparous. Although lean body mass increased over
12 months in LNG-IUS and copper IUD users but not in ENG implant users, changes in
body weight and body composition did not differ between the groups. In the adjusted
model, Black race was associated with change in total body mass (p<.05).
Conclusions
Among those who continued the method for 12 months, changes in body weight and composition
did not differ between copper IUD, LNG-IUS and ENG implant users.
Implications statement
Changes in body weight and composition over 12 months did not differ between copper
IUD users and LNG-IUS and ENG implant users among those with 12 months of continuous
use.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 31, 2016
Accepted:
December 27,
2016
Received in revised form:
December 16,
2016
Received:
March 26,
2016
Footnotes
☆Conflicts of interest: Dr. Peipert receives research support from Bayer, Teva and Merck and serves on Advisory Boards for Teva and Perrigo. Dr. Madden serves on a scientific advisory board for Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals and on a data safety monitoring board for Phase 4 safety studies of Bayer contraceptive products. The other authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors are responsible for the content and the writing of the paper.
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© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
