The experience with depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate used as a
contraceptive method among Turkish women
Z. Vural, I. Gönenç, N. Aka, G. Köse, K. Karaca
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and
Research Hospital, Turkey
Introduction: Injectable contraceptives are safe, highly effective and
easily applicable birth control methods. Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA),
which is known as Depo-Provera in the market, is the mostly studied and most
widely used injectable contraceptive.
Aims and Methods: In order to study the efficacy and safety of DMPA,
129 women who applied to the Family Planning Unit of Haydarpasa Numune Training
and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, and chose DMPA as a contraceptive
method were enrolled and evaluated. The safety, efficacy and side effects of
DMPA and the sociodemographic properties of the participants were evaluated and
compared with current data.
Results: It was observed that DMPA was most commonly used in the 30–34
years of age group (28.7%) and was preferred mostly among multiparous women
(99.2%). They preferred this method mainly because they had difficulties while
using other methods (51.9%) and it was a long-acting method (17.8 %). After the
first injection, menorrhagia (18.9%) and amenorrhea (21.6%) were the side
effects which were mostly encountered. As the number of injections increased the
menorrhagia rate decreased and amenorrhea became the main side effect. We did
not observe any unwanted pregnancies and weight gain in longterm use.
Surprisingly there was approximately a decrease of two kilograms at the end of
the first year. Headache, spotting and irritability were reported very rarely.
Conclusion: DMPA is a safe, efficacious, and easy to apply
contraceptive method. All women have a right to receive thorough counseling
which is a must for high quality family planning services in order for women to
make a decision of their own.
