Mood changes in adolescents using depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate for contraception: a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Adolescent Medicine
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a widely used contraceptive in adolescents.
• Concerns exist regarding DMPA's potential impact on mood and affect.
• Limited research specifically evaluates these effects in adolescent females.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess changes in negative and positive affect in adolescent females using DMPA for contraception.
• To compare affect changes in DMPA users with a control group not using hormonal contraception.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study in an urban hospital adolescent clinic.
• 39 adolescents using DMPA and 24 controls were enrolled.
• Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and MAACL-R administered at baseline and 3, 6, 12 months.

Main Results:

• No significant increase in depressive symptoms (BDI scores) was observed in DMPA users over 12 months (mean change -4.8, P=.02).
• No significant changes in negative affect (dysphoria subscale) or positive affect were found in DMPA users compared to controls.
• P-values for changes in dysphoria and positive affect were non-significant for both groups.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent females using DMPA as a contraceptive agent do not exhibit increased depressive symptoms over 12 months.
• DMPA use is not associated with significant alterations in negative or positive affect in this population.
• Findings suggest DMPA is a safe contraceptive option regarding mood and affect in adolescents.