Acceptance, Adherence, and Side Effects of Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate: A Prospective Observational Study

Rajaraman, Rajalakshmi and Vaithilingan, Sasi and Selvavinayagam, Thirumalaichiry S. (2024) Acceptance, Adherence, and Side Effects of Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate: A Prospective Observational Study. CUREUS JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, 16.0 (4).

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Abstract

Introduction In India, one of the world's most populous and swiftly growing countries, it is crucial to prioritize the utilization of safe and effective contraception, as contraceptive strategies play a pivotal role in bolstering community health. It is widely acknowledged that ensuring appropriate timing and spacing of pregnancies is crucial for the well-being of reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health. Adoption of reversible or spacing contraceptive methods can significantly enhance women's health outcomes by reducing the occurrence of undesired, closely timed, and mistimed pregnancies. Consequently, in response to the pressing need for dependable contraception in India, this study seeks to assess the acceptance, adherence, and side effects of the injectable contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) among its users. Methods This prospective observational study was done at the State Government Taluk Hospital in the Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu from July 2022 to October 2022. A total of 40 women of reproductive age who opted for DMPA as their contraceptive method and met the inclusion criteria were recruited through a purposive sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Results The majority of the participants were women aged 21-25 years (n=14; 35%). The participants were predominantly Hindu (n=39; 97.5%), and 35 (87.5%) had completed higher secondary education. All participants (n=40; 100%) resided in rural areas and the majority were homemakers. A significant proportion of the participants had two children (n=21; 52.5%), and all of them received information on DMPA primarily from health personnel. At the initial point of data collection, three-fourths of them took the first dose (n=13; 32.5%) and only a few took more than three doses (n=3; 7.5%). In the third month, the results showed a drop in DMPA use, which indicates a lower adherence particularly linked to side effects like irregular bleeding (n=15; 37.5%) and amenorrhea (n=9; 22.5%). Furthermore, 35 (87.5%) of the women chose DMPA for birth spacing due to its efficacy and convenience, with few initiating it during postpartum (n=4; 10%) and post-abortal (n=1; 2.5%) periods. The reasons for continuing DMPA use included efficacy (n=20; 50%), discreet usage (n=15; 37.5%), and curiosity (n=13; 32.5%). Half of the participants reported no side effects. The study identified associations between DMPA users and the number of living children and occupational status inferring that DMPA contraception is used for spacing births. Conclusion The results of this study imply that the use and adherence to injectable contraceptive DMPA need to be strengthened among rural women. Thus, the study suggests incorporating information, education, and communication strategies, to enhance awareness among rural women about injectable contraceptives.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Categories, Family/General Practice, Preventive Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology adherence to contraception, injectable contraceptive, hormonal contraception, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, contraceptive acceptance, contraceptive side effects, long-acting reversible contraception
Subjects: Medicine > Medicine, General & Internal
Divisions: Nursing > Vinayaka Mission's Annapoorna College of Nursing, Salem
Nursing > Vinayaka Mission's Annapoorna College of Nursing, Salem > Community Health Nursing
Medicine > Vinayaka Mission's Medical College and Hospital, Karaikal
Nursing > Vinayaka Mission's College of Nursing, Karaikal
Nursing > Vinayaka Mission's College of Nursing, Puducherry
Pharmacy > Vinayaka Mission’s College of Pharmacy, Salem
Physiotherapy > Vinayaka Mission's College of Physiotherapy, Salem
Homoeopathy > Vinayaka Mission's Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Salem
Medicine > Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Medical College and Hospital, Salem
Arts and Science > Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Arts and Science College, Salem, India
Engineering and Technology > Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College, Salem, India
Law > Vinayaka Mission's Law School, Chennai
Medicine > Vinayaka Mission's Medical College, Kottucherry
Medicine > Vinayaka Mission's Medical College, Puducherry
Physical Education > Vinayaka Mission's College of Physical Education, Salem
Interdisciplinary Studies > Vinayaka Mission's School of Health Systems, Chennai
Dentistry > Vinayaka Mission‘s Sankarachariyar Dental College, Salem
Liberal Arts > Vinayaka Mission's School of Economics and Public Policy, Chennai
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email techsupport@mosys.org
Last Modified: 06 Feb 2026 06:57
URI: https://ir.vmrfdu.edu.in/id/eprint/6232

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