title: Safety and Efficacy of Contraceptive Methods for Obese and Overweight Women.
abstract: Increasing rates of obesity have become a major public health challenge. Given the added health risks that obese women have during pregnancy, preventing unwanted pregnancy is imperative. Clinicians who provide contraception must understand the efficacy, risks, and the weight changes associated with various contraceptive methods. Despite differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of hormonal contraceptives in overweight and obese women, efficacy does not appear to be severely impacted. Both estrogen-containing contraceptives and obesity increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, but the absolute risk remains acceptably low in reproductive age women.
authors.affiliation: MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 110 Irving Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20010, USA. Electronic address: pamela.lotke@medstar.net.
authors.forename: Pamela S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Lotke
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, 1319 Punahou Street, #824, Honolulu, HI 96826, USA.
authors.forename: Bliss
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaneshiro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
keywords: Body mass index; Contraception; Contraceptive efficacy; Hormonal contraception; Obesity; Overweight