Effect of combined oral contraceptive pills on body mass index [BMI] in women attending family planning centres, Karachi, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

To see the effect of combined oral contraceptive pills on Body Mass Index [BMI] of women. A descriptive study. The study was conducted at Family Planning Centers at social obstetrical unit Baqai Medical University and Reproductive and Health Sciences [RHS] Institute, a family planning unit, at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center Karachi, from November 2010 to April 2011. This study was carried out on 50 patients of reproductive age 20-40 years. Patients with Cardiac, Renal and Liver syfunction were excluded. Diabetic women taking sedative and hypnotics, anti-tubercular treatment were also excluded. All routine investigations were performed. BMI was done on initial visit re-evaluated after one, three and six months and data was analyzed. Fifty women were selected. They were divided into four categories, Control [category 0] i.e. before the start of COCPs, after 1 month [category 1], 3 months [category 2] and 6 months [category 3]. On initial visit mean BMI of control is found to be 22.53 +/- 1.92. Category 1 showed mean BMI of 22.53 +/- 1.92 kg/m2 while BMI of category 2 is 22.53 +/- 1.92 kg/m2 category 3 is 22.91 +/- 1.87. After completion of study mean increase in BMI of category 3 was 0.38 kg/m[2]. Mean increase in BMI of category 3 is negligible