Metabolic syndrome and related factors in Cameroonian women under contraceptive use

Contraceptive is a device or drug that prevents a woman from becoming pregnant. Some types of contraceptive can cause a myriad of secondary effects such as overweight, increase of blood pressure triglycerides, and glucose intolerance. The combination of these secondary effects could, in the long term, develop metabolic syndrome in these women. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in Cameroonians women on contraceptives.

This was a cross-sectional study that included 231 Cameroonians fasting women from 18 to 49 years of age, on contraceptives. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical characteristics were collected. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program- Adult Treatment Panel III. After validation of the data, statistical analysis was performed using Epi-Info software version 7.2.2.16 and the statistical level of significance was set at 5.0%.

231 were using a modern contraceptive method, 28 were not using a contraceptive method, and 12 were non-consenting. The contraceptive method use rate was 89.19% and the most commonly used method was injectable contraception (49.35%). According to National Cholesterol Education Program criteria, almost 38.96% of these women were overweight and 50.65% had a serum high density lipoproteins cholesterol level of less than 0.50 g/L. Among women on contraceptives, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 22.08%. However, there was no significant association between contraceptive use and the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (p = 0.63).

Contraceptive use was certain in all the participants, it's reported that, according to the NCEP-ATPIII a prevalence of 22.08% of metabolic syndrome among women using modern contraceptive methods in Douala, Republic of Cameroon. The high-risk groups were women using injectable method. Therefore, lipid profiles should be assessed in those women in order to manage them better.