Galveston County Daily News, July 23, 2009
UTMB's Dr. Abbey Berenson is quoted in this article about a study that has identified women who are likely to gain weight while using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, more commonly known as Depo-Provera or the birth control shot. These findings dispel the myth that all women who use DMPA will gain weight and will help physicians to counsel patients appropriately, according to the study. "DMPA users whose weight increased by 5 percent within the first six months of use, called ‘early gainers,' are at risk of continued, excessive weight gain. While 75 percent of users gained little or no weight, the early gainers averaged weight gain of 24 pounds in three years, the study found. ‘DMPA-related weight gain is linked to increased abdominal fat, a known component of metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of obesity-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes,' Berenson said."