ABSTRACT
Background: Progestogen-only injectable contraceptive is a long-acting contraceptive given intramuscularly to give protection against unwanted pregnancy for a period of 2 or 3 months; depending on the type. Alterations in menstrual pattern are a well known side effect of this effective contraceptive method. Objectives: To determine the characteristics of women accepting the method; complications and indications for discontinuation. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective review of clients using progestogen-only injectable contraceptive between 1 st January; 2001 and 31 st December; 2009. Relevant information extracted from the case notes was analyzed. Survival analysis was carried out using Log-Rank Chi-square test to measure association over 12-month period of usage. Level of significance was set at P value less than 0.05.Results: A total of 1;967 women used contraception during the study period and 433 (22.1) made progestogen-only injectable their method of choice. 199(45.96) used NET-EN; while DMPA was used by234 (54.04) women. Many of the women (197; 45.5) used the method for terminal fertility control. Menstrual abnormality was the commonest (264; 71.4) complaint about progestogen-only injectable contraceptive; of which amenorrhea was experienced by constituted 176(66.7). Eighty-three (22.4) women had discontinued the contraceptive; and menstrual abnormality was the commonest reason for the discontinuation (68; 81.9). No pregnancy was reported among the women that came for follow up while on the method. Conclusion: Short duration of POIC use that is within 12 months is still high. However the main reason for discontinuation was found to be due to menstrual irregularities; hence the need for effective education of the women about this side effect; thus increasing the acceptance and continuation rate of the contraceptive method