Young Women’s Experiences With Subcutaneous Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate: A Secondary Analysis of a One-Year Randomized Trial in Malawi

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness, safety, and experiences with side effects of self-injected and provider-administered injectable contraception between young (18–24 years) versus older (≥25 years) women. MethodsWe conducted secondary analysis of data from a 12-month randomized controlled trial in Malawi, where a total of 731 women were randomized to receive subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) administered by a provider or be trained to self-inject subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. Data collectors contacted women after the reinjection window at 3, 6, and 9 months to collect data on discontinuation and women’s experiences, including adverse events. Twelve months after enrollment or at early discontinuation, women had their final interview, including pregnancy testing. We compared continuation, pregnancy, safety, and side effects among young women versus older women. ResultsAmong self-injectors, there were no significant differences found in continuation by age (p = .345) with continuation rates at 12 months of 79% for young women and 69% for older women. Continuation rates were lower for both age groups with provider-administered injections. In the provider-administered group, continuation rates among young women (39%) were lower than among older women (49%) (p = .047). The distribution of reasons for discontinuation did not differ significantly by age for those receiving provider injections (p = .698). However, younger self-injectors were less likely to miss the reinjection window than older self-injectors (p = .011). Age did not significantly influence pregnancy or safety. ConclusionsWith evidence of potential higher impact on continuation and no safety concerns, we recommend self-injection be added to the contraception options available to young women in low-resource settings.