ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study describes the patterns of planned use and actual receipt of immediate postpartum depot medroxyprogesterone (DMPA) prior to hospital discharge among low-income breastfeeding initiators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bivariate analyses among DMPA recipients by prenatal planned/unplanned use and the sensitivity of DMPA self-report relative to pharmacologic record were calculated. RESULTS: Among immediate postpartum DMPA recipients (n=58), 72.4% (n=42) did not plan to use DMPA. The sensitivity of self-reported DMPA use was 89.7% (95% confidence interval, 85.2, 94.2). CONCLUSIONS: Clinically, it is unclear if the immediate postpartum period is the appropriate time to obtain consent and administer a long-acting contraceptive method. In our sample, women accurately recalled receiving DMPA in the immediate postpartum period. However, the majority did not plan to use this contraceptive method. Further high-quality qualitative and quantitative research regarding women's contraceptive plans and perception of the postpartum DMPA consent process and the healthcare provider's attitudes regarding consent and prescription of immediate postpartum DMPA are warranted.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Contraception Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Contraceptive Agents, Female/administration & dosage , Intention , Medroxyprogesterone/administration & dosage , Postpartum Period , Adult , Female , Health Care Surveys , Health Literacy , Humans , Patient Education as Topic , Pregnancy , Retrospective Studies , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effect of immediate postpartum depot medroxyprogesterone (DMPA) on breastfeeding cessation within 6 weeks postpartum. STUDY DESIGN: At low-income-serving obstetric and pediatric clinics, eligible mothers within 1 year postpartum were recruited to participate in a retrospective cohort study. The 183 participants completed a self-administered survey. Surveys were merged with birth certificate data and perinatal maternal/infant medical records. Kaplan-Meier distributions assessed the relationship between DMPA use and breastfeeding cessation. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and included five known risk factors (age, education, race, parity and parental cohabitation) and identified potential confounders. RESULTS: Consistent with the biologic model, the Kaplan-Meier results raised the possibility of a detrimental effect of DMPA on duration of any breastfeeding, but differences in these distributions did not achieve statistical significance (p=.24); after adjustment for potential confounders, this nonstatistically significant association remained (HR: 1.22; confidence interval: 0.75-1.98). CONCLUSION: Given the state of the evidence, it is unclear whether a causal effect does or does not exist. However, if there is a causal effect of DMPA on breastfeeding duration, it is minimal. Additional well-designed research is warranted.
