Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is ail aqueous suspension of
17-acetoxy 6-methyl progestin administered by intramuscular injection
for long-term contraception. This highly effective injectable formulat
ion of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) has a prolonged duration of a
ction since the progestin is released slowly from the muscle. MPA is d
etected in the serum within 30 minutes after an injection of 150 mg. S
erum concentrations vary between individual women but generally platea
u at about 1.0 ng/mL for about three months, after which there is a gr
adual decline. In some women, MPA can be detected in the serum for as
long as nine months after a single injection of 150 mg. The circulatin
g MPA initially inhibits the midcycle leutinizing hormone (LH) peak, b
ut LH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels remain in the rang
e of those for the luteal phase of a pretreatment control cycle. Since
ovulation is inhibited, serum progesterone levels remain low (< 0.4 n
g/mL) for several months following an injection of DMPA. When MPA leve
ls fall below 0.1 ng/mL, ovulation resumes. Thus, return to fertility
is delayed for several months if a woman wishes to conceive after rece
iving one or move injections of DMPA. Following an injection of DMPA,
serum estradiol levels initially are in the early to midfollicular pha
se range (mean approximately 50 pg/nL). Serum estradiol levels begin t
o rise about four months after a single injection when MPA levels fall
below 0.5 ng/mL. For women who have used DMPA for several years, seru
m estradiol levels range between 10 and 92 pg/mL, with mean levels of
about 40 pg/mL. Despite these low levels of estradiol, hot flushes are
a rare event, and the vaginal epithelium remains moist and well rugat
ed. Women using DMPA for several years do not observe a change in brea
st size. DMPA causes the endometrium to become atrophic, with small, s
traight endometrial glands and decidualized stroma. The cervical mucus
remains thick and viscid. DMPA is a very effective form of contracept
ion because of its multiple mechanisms of action and slow release into
the circulation.