Practice Cases
Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (Depo-Provera, DMPA) Effects on Bone Mineral Density: Question Four
Your answer is incorrect. The correct answer is B.
She wants to know if other progestogen-only forms of birth control have a similar effect on bone density as DMPA?
- Option A Yes, they are all associated with a decrease in bone density compared to nonusers
- Option B No, none of them have been shown to cause a decrease on bone density
- Option C It is variable depending on the type of progestin used
Do other progestogen-only forms of birth control cause a decrease in BMD similar to DMPA?
Levonogesterol implants have no adverse effect on BMD. Studies on other low-dose progestogen-only contraceptives such as pills, other implants, and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device are limited, however, they do not appear to affect BMD either (1).
- D'Arcangues C. WHO statement on hormonal contraception and bone health. Contraception 2006; 73(5): 443-444.