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BMI impacts contraception choice
By jeremyc | November 30, 2009
Source: MedWireNews
By Ingrid Grasmo
Women with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 kg/m2 are more likely to use procedural contraception methods than women with normal BMIs, indicate study findings.
“Understanding the relationship between weight and contraceptive behaviors is important for the development of health promotion programs to improve pregnancy outcome and decrease obesity,” say Amisha Schraudenbach (University of Texas, San Antonio, USA) and Stephanie McFall (University of Essex, Colchester, UK).
The researchers performed a secondary analysis of 4,757 sexually active women with a male partner who took part in the Family Planning Module of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2006.
In total, 13.8 percent of women did not use contraception and BMI category was not associated with use versus non-use of any form of contraception. Overall, barrier methods were less commonly used than procedural or hormonal types of contraception.
However the probability of using procedural contraception was higher among women with BMIs greater than 25 kg/m2, while the likelihood of using hormonal contraception increased with lower BMIs regardless of age.
Use of hormonal contraception was greater among women aged 18-29 years compared with older women, while those aged 35 years or older were more likely to use procedural methods than those who were younger, and were also less likely to use barrier methods.
“Future studies should examine the relationship in women’s use of different types of contraception and body weight to better understand the benefits and obstacles of contraception types,” conclude Schraudenbach and McFall.
Topics: | Birth Control |
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