Mk. Clark et al., Magnitude and variability of sequential estradiol and progesterone concentrations in women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate for contraception, FERT STERIL, 75(5), 2001, pp. 871-877
Objective: To describe the magnitude and variability of sequential serum es
tradiol and progesterone concentrations throughout one depot medroxyprogest
erone (DMPA) injection interval.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: Family planning and women's health clinics.
Patient(s): Thirty-one women, ages 19 to 46, using DMPA for contraception.
Intervention(s): Serum for estrogen and progesterone was collected weekly t
hroughout one DMPA injection interval.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum estradiol and progesterone concentrations: e
stradiol patterns produced from data plotted across the entire DMPA injecti
on interval.
Result(s): The average daily estradiol concentrations ranged from 7.9 to 69
.1 pg/mL, with a mean of 18.9 +/- 12.9 and a median of 15.4 pg/mL. Average
daily progesterone concentrations ranged from 0.14 to 1.1 ng/mL, with a mea
n of 0.40 +/- 0.19 ng/mL and a median of 0.36 ng/mL. Two general patterns o
f estradiol concentrations were identified. One pattern. observed in approx
imately one third of the participants, reflected estradiol concentrations t
hat were extremely low (mean, 12.7 +/- 3.6 pg/mL; median, 13.3 pg/mL) and c
onsistently hat across the DMPA injection interval. The second pattern. see
n in the remaining participants, reflected estradiol concentrations that we
re higher (mean, 22.2 +/- 14.9 pg/mL, median, 17.3 pg/mL) and quits variabl
e.
Conclusion(s): This study demonstrated that estradiol concentrations were l
ower than the 40 to 50 pg/mL reported in most studies and, for the majority
of women, varied substantially across the DMPA injection interval. (Fertil
Steril(R) 2001;75:871-7. (C)2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medi
cine.).