Does Blisovi Fe cause weight gain?

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jamie Winn
Aug 18, 2023

Blisovi Fe is a hormonal birth control pill that is a combination of norethindrone acetate (progestin), ethinyl estradiol (estrogen), and ferrous fumarate (iron supplement). It is a generic version of the brand-name medication Loestrin Fe. It comes in several different strengths such as Blisovi Fe 1/20, Blisovi Fe 1.5/30, and Blisovi 24 Fe.

It is a relatively safe and effective medication when taken as directed by your healthcare provider. As with all medications, Blisovi Fe can cause side effects. Some of the most common side effects include nausea, breakthrough bleeding, stomach cramps, bloating, swelling, and mood changes. Some women may also experience weight gain when taking Blisovi Fe and other oral contraceptives. It is thought that this is mainly due to you retaining water or to other factors that are unrelated to this medication.

How often does this occur? Keep reading to find out how likely you are to gain weight with Blisovi Fe as well as side effects, precautions, and other important information.

How likely are you to gain weight with Blisovi Fe?

For most women, oral birth control pills, vaginal rings, and contraceptive patches are not very likely to have much effect on their weight. Many women will gain some weight as they age, whether or not they use hormonal contraceptives. A group of researchers looked at 45 clinical studies that compared many different types of hormonal contraceptives. They concluded that it seemed very unlikely that hormonal contraception will cause major weight gain. This was partly due to the fact they found no link between the dosage of the hormone and weight gain. If the hormones in birth control pills could lead to weight gain, you would expect higher doses to cause more weight gain, and this was not the case.

But this still does not rule out the possibility that individual women may gain weight with hormonal contraceptives such as Blisovi Fe. In clinical studies involving Blisovi 24 Fe, 2% of the 743 women using this medication experienced weight gain. It is thought that this is due to water retention and not an increase in fat. It could also be due to other factors that are unrelated to Blisovi Fe.

How does Blisovi Fe work?

Blisovi Fe contains 2 naturally occurring hormones called norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol. They can help prevent pregnancy by:

Preventing ovulation
Creating more cervical mucus so the sperm cannot get into the uterus
Changes the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg cannot attach to your uterus

In addition to being used to prevent pregnancy, this combination of hormones can be used to decrease your risk of ovarian cysts and regulate your menstrual periods. Blisovi Fe does not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

What are the benefits of Blisovi Fe?

Blisovi Fe is typically used as a hormonal form of birth control. Blisovi Fe can be used to treat moderate acne in women 15 years of age and older who have started having menstrual periods, and want to use hormonal contraception. It is also used to reduce your risk of ovarian cysts and treat painful or heavy periods.

What are the side effects of Blisovi Fe?

These are the most common side effects seen in clinical trials when compared to placebo include:

Headache
Breast tenderness
Yeast infection
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Bloating
Acne
Menstrual cramps
Mood swings
Bacterial vaginal infection
Breakthrough bleeding
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Weight gain

Other side effects of Blisovi Fe from post-market experience

Increased blood sugar
Increased cholesterol
Skin rash and itching
Severe headaches and migraines
Changes in appetite
Chest pain
Vision changes and contact lenses discomfort
Increased triglycerides

Rarely, Blisovi Fe can cause some serious side effects, including:

Increased risk of significant heart problems, such as blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes, especially if you are over the age of 35 and smoke
Increased risk of blood clots and stroke, especially in the first year of taking Blisovi Fe
Severe, life-threatening allergic reaction with symptoms such as:
- Hives
- Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, mouth, or throat
- Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
Increased risk of liver disease, liver tumors, and jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Gallbladder disease and gallstones
Possible increased risk of cancer, including cancer of the breast, ovaries, cervix, and endometrium

These are not all of the possible side effects of Blisovi Fe. You should always seek medical advice from your healthcare professional for any questions or concerns about your medical condition or treatment. Read all prescribing information, medication guides, or drug information sheets that come with this medication. You can report adverse effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.

What drugs should you avoid with Blisovi Fe?

When Blisovi Fe is taken with other prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements, it may change how they work or increase the frequency or severity of side effects. Some drug interactions with Blisovi Fe include:

Ritonavir
Paritaprevir
Ombitasvir
St. John’s Wort
Phenytoin
Carbamazepine
Rifampin

What precautions are there with Blisovi Fe?

Blisovi Fe carries a boxed warning from the FDA concerning smoking and the increased risk of serious cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke when using combination oral contraceptives (COC). This medication should not be used in women who are over 35 years old and smoke.

You should also avoid using Blisovi Fe if you:

Have liver disease or liver tumors
Have undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding
Have breast cancer or other progestin- or estrogen-sensitive cancer
Are pregnant or are breastfeeding
Are taking Hepatitis C drug combinations containing paritaprevir/ombitasvir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir

You should be sure that your healthcare provider is aware of all your other medical conditions, including if you:

Have a history of heart disease, blood clots, high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack
Have high cholesterol
Have abnormal uterine or vaginal bleeding
Gave birth within the previous month
Have thyroid disease
Have kidney disease
Have migraines or severe headaches

How long does it take Blisovi Fe to work?

There are 2 different ways you can start taking Blisov Fe, the Sunday Start and the Day 1 Start.

The Sunday Start simply means you start on a Sunday. During the first cycle with a Sunday Start, you will need to use a non-hormonal backup contraceptive such as condoms or spermicide for the first 7 days after starting Blisovi Fe.

If you use the Day 1 Start, you will start using Blisovi Fe on the first day of your period. You do not have to use a backup contraceptive when using this starting method.

If this is the first time that you are taking Blisovi Fe, please talk with your healthcare provider about when you should start this medicine.

What is the success rate of Blisovi Fe?

When you take Blisovi Fe as directed and do not miss doses, you have a better chance of not becoming pregnant. Based on the results from their clinical study, around 1% to 4% of women taking Blisovi Fe may get pregnant within the first year of starting this medication.