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The contraceptive use of Depo-Provera in U.S. adolescents
L M Pinkston Koenigs1, N H Miller
1Department of Pediatrics, Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA, USA.
Unlabelled:
Little is known about the use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera, DMPA) in U.S. adolescents before the FDA approved its usage for contraception in 1992.
Purpose:
To determine the experience with DMPA use in adolescents for contraception in the United States.
Methods:
A questionnaire survey was sent to U.S. physicians identified as adolescent health care providers.
Result:
DMPA had been prescribed by 41% of surveyed physicians who prescribe contraception for adolescents. Eighty-five percent of patients continued use beyond nine months and 40% continued beyond 21 months. Sixty-seven percent of physician/respondents reported using DMPA in mentally retarded patients.
Conclusions:
Many providers used DMPA for contraception in adolescents prior to its FDA approval for contraception. DMPA has a high rate of continuation of use as a contraception in adolescents.