CONTEXT Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), which has a high rate of use among teenagers in Europe and the United States, has been associated with impaired bone mineral acquisition during adolescence and accelerated bone loss in later life. Studies on the association between DMPA use and fracture risk are limited. OBJECTIVE We aimed at evaluating the relationship between use of hormonal...

Galactorrhea is rarely mentioned as a possible side effect of the use of Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA). Over the last few years, we have noticed an increased number of patients complaining of galactorrhea. A review of clinical data showed that between 1999 and 2005, 360 adolescents in our clinic used DMPA for at least 6 months. After medical follow-up, 13 (3.6%) of these patients wer...

Volume 83, Number 1 www.aafp.org/afp American Family Physician 35 Clinical Scenario A 19-year-old nulliparous woman comes to the office to discuss contraceptive options. She previously used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) but was bothered by the weight gain and spotting she attributed to the medication. She would like to know whether the copper intrauterine device (IUD) might b...

Poor compliance and high discontinuation rates of Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) and other contraceptive methods are major factors in the continuing problem of adolescent pregnancy. In this study we attempted to determine if providing comprehensive health care for teen mothers and their babies would improve continuation rates of DMPA. Patients who started DMPA between 1/1/96 and 1/1/9...

In the US, obesity rates are increasing greatly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 68.5% of Americans, including 63.9% of adult women older than 20 years, are overweight (body mass index between 25 kg/m2 and 29.9 kg/m2) or obese (body mass index >30 kg/m2). In light of this, it is not surprising that the rates of bariatric surgery have also been increasing. When cons...

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a commonly used form of contraception, with noncontraceptive benefits for the user. The mode of action is through the suppression of ovulation. It leads to hypoestrogenism which causes dryness of the vagina and dyspareunia. We present in this paper a patient that was very symptomatic with regard to vaginal atrophic changes determined by vaginal cytolo...