Side effects of DepoproveraŽ in teens
By Frederick R. Jelovsek, M.D.
Many women are concerned about undesirable side effects of any
form of contraceptive. The perceived incidence of these effects
keeps women from using any protection against pregnancy so it is important
to know what the chance of symptoms such as weight gain and irregular
menstrual bleeding actually is.
S. C. Matson and others in J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol
1997 Feb;10(1):18-23 documented the main side-effects of the
injectable contraceptive, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA,
DepoproveraŽ) over 30 months in 53 adolescent females.
Each teen received 150 mg DMPA intramuscularly in either the shoulder
or buttocks muscle. The first two DMPA injections were given 6-8 weeks apart in an effort to
decrease menstrual irregularity. Subsequent shots were given every 3 months.
At 5, 11, and 17 months of DMPA use, only 75%, 40%, and 19% of the women
subjects respectively, continued DMPA. The most commonly
perceived side effects were weight gain (27%), headache (25%), irregular periods (24%), fatigue
(23%), abdominal pain (18%), and decreased sexual desire (15%).
Significant weight gain was noted with an average increase of 12 pounds (6.0 kg)
at 11 months of DMPA use and 19 pounds (9.0 kg) at
17 months. No menstrual bleeding was experienced by 30%-40% of
adolescents in any 3-month injection period, and those who had any menstrual
bleeding averaged 8-13 days of bleeding between injections. No
pregnancies occurred.
The study shows DMPA is an effective, acceptable contraceptive
for some adolescent females who are at high risk for pregnancy. The side effects
are substantial however, with weight gain being the most significant one.
|
