Penina Segall-Gutierrez, co-investigator of the study and an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynaecology and family medicine at the Keck School, noted that the study, which is published online in the journal Contraception, is the first of its kind. ‘Contraceptive studies often only look at normal-weight women, she said. ‘Studies such as this are necessary because, today, one-third of women in the U.S. are overweight and one-third are obese. All women, including overweight and obese women, need to have access to safe and effective contraception.’
She explained that contraceptives containing oestrogen, such as the pill, patch and vaginal ring, are sometimes inadvisable for obese women because ‘they raise the risk for blood clots.’ As obese women are more likely to have wellness complications during pregnancy, Segall-Gutierrez said, ‘they need other, viable alternatives. The implanted LARC devices last three to 10 years, are easily reversible, and women don’t have to remember to do anything with them, in contrast to the birth-control pill.’
Investigators, led by Nicole M. Bender, assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynaecology at the Keck School, observed the metabolic markers in three groups of obese women: those who used non-hormonal birth control methods, those who had a progestin-releasing LARC device implanted in the uterus (IUD); and a third group with a progestin-releasing LARC device implanted under the skin.
Segall-Gutierrez reported, ‘All three methods were found to be safe and effective, and they did not create changes in blood pressure, weight, or cholesterol. However, there was a 10% increase in fasting blood-glucose levels among the skin implant users, compared to a 5% increase among the IUD users and a 2% decrease among those using non-hormonal methods. The effects on sensitivity to insulin showed a similar trend. It is unknown if these effects would continue if the devices were used and studied for a longer period of time.’