Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate as an Injectable Contraceptive for Adolescents - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

Purpose: to evaluate the incidence of side effects and acceptance (continuity rate) of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) as an injectable three-monthly contraceptive given to adolescents in our milien. Method: forty adolescents (70% lactating) started to use DMPA and were followed-up for a mean of 14.2 months. Spontaneous complaints, menstrual changes, physical examination and laboratory data were collected and studied using Wilcoxon or McNemar tests. Results: the most frequent complaints were abdominal pain (16.6%) and headache (15.2%). Predominant menstrual patterns were spotting and oligomenorrhea. Significant variation of the systolic blood pressure was not observed during the follow-up. There was a slight fall in the levels of diastolic blood pressure, at the limit of significance. Significant deviations from baseline regarding fasting glucose were not noted, but the mean hemoglobin concentration tended to increase. Weight gain (mean 3.9 kg at 12 months) and menstrual irregularity (occurred in more than 70% of all visits) were the main reasons for discontinuation of the method. Twenty-seven patients were accompanied during 12 months and the continuity rate at that time was 81.5%. Conclusion: depot medroxyprogesterone acetate is a satisfactory contraceptive method for adolescents.