Self-Administered Subcutaneous DMPA: Acceptable and Effective

Contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone for subcutaneous injection (DMPA-SC) can be self-administered. In two manufacturer-supported studies, researchers explored the feasibility and acceptability of DMPA-SC self-injection at home.

In the U.S. study, 50 women who sought DMPA contraception agreed to self-injection at home after administering the first dose with in-clinic training. The 1-year continuation rate was 74%. In all, 11 doses of DMPA-SC were administered early (by as many as 18 days) or late (by as many as 16 days); no pregnancies occurred. In 20% of injections, difficulty occurred (usually because of syringe plunger resistance). Most women (87%) considered self-injection to be easy or very easy, 95% found it convenient or very conve…