How common is weight gain on Evra (the contraceptive patch) and what does it depend on?
The contraceptive patch is very similar to the oral contraceptive pill in terms of side effects like weight gain. Research comparing the patch and the pill to placebo (an inactive pill that looks the same so people don’t know whether or not they’re taking the real pill) showed that the average weight gain was less than 1 lb per year. In other words, the weight gain had nothing to do with being on the pill or patch. Some women lost weight, some women gained more weight. It all depends on how many calories you take in versus how much energy you burn off with activity. Neither the pill nor patch will make you gain weight.
