The effect of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate on bone mineral density
and lipid metabolism
I. Gönenç, Z. Vural, N. Aka, G. Köse, N. Zonuzi
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haydarpasa Numune Training and
Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Aims: We aimed to investigate the effects of depot-medroxyprogesterone
acetate (DMPA) used for contraceptive purposes on bone mineral density and lipid
metabolism in a study done prospectively in the Family Planning Unit of
Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.
Materials and Methods: 21 women randomly chosen among women regularly
attending our family planning unit and using DMPA in the past twelve months
consisted the material of our study. 23 women with an IUD were chosen as the
control group. All of the participants were thoroughly examined after a detailed
history taking and consequently all women underwent bone mineral density
measurements using Lunar-DPX technology and venous blood samples were drawn in
order to evaluate lipid metabolism changes.
Results: The statistical evaluation of the data obtained was done by
using the t-test and x2 test. The age means, demographic and
socioeconomic properties, environmental factors, reproductive histories,
nutritional habits medical history and body mass index did not differ
significantly between the two groups statistically. It was found that DMPA did
not cause a decrease in the bone mineral density (p>0,05) and did not have an
adverse effect on serum lipid profiles (p>0,05) compared to the control group.
In the DMPA group serum estradiol levels were found to be significantly low when
compared to the control group (p<0,05). In all participants fasting glucose levels were in normal ranges. In the 66.7% of the DMPA group amenorrhea was reported (p<0,05).
Conclusion: When compared with the control group it was found that
DMPA did not cause a decrease in the bone mineral density and did not change the
serum lipid levels adversely.
