title: Contraceptive considerations in overweight teens.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review is to explore the efficacy and safety of contraceptives in overweight adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are few studies exploring hormonal contraceptive efficacy and safety in overweight and obese adults and almost none addressing these issues in adolescents. Luckily for teens, in terms of safety, many of the comorbidities associated with obesity are yet to transpire and their options for contraception remain relatively unrestricted. Studies of the combined oral contraceptive pill and patch in adults suggest that efficacy may be decreased in overweight adolescents. There is no evidence to suggest that the efficacy of the contraceptive implant or intrauterine device (IUD) is decreased in overweight adolescents. Indeed, these long-acting reversible methods will be the best choice for many adolescents because of their high efficacy. Although the literature is not definitive, there is probably a subset of adolescents who are susceptible to weight gain with use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there is little research regarding contraceptive efficacy in overweight adolescents, IUDs and implants will be the best methods for many adolescents because of their high efficacy, reversibility, and safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817, USA. bkaneshiro@ucera.org
authors.forename: Bliss
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaneshiro
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edelman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D050177:Overweight / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate