Insulin resistance parameters in users of the injectable contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate during one year of use.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess insulin resistance parameters using successive homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and clinical evaluations in healthy new users of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). METHODS: A prospective 12-month study was carried out to compare 31 DMPA users with 25 copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD; TCu380A) users, matched for age (± 1 year) and body mass index (BMI; ± 1 kg/m(2)). Participants met the following criteria: age 18 to 40 years, BMI < 30 kg/m(2), fasting glucose < 5.5 mmol/l, 2-h glucose after a 75 g oral glucose load < 140 mg/dl. BMI, waist circumference, fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were evaluated at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of contraceptive use. Insulin resistance was defined as a HOMA-IR value > 2.7. RESULTS: The DMPA group showed significant increases in BMI, waist circumference, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR throughout the observation period in relation to baseline. Significant increases in BMI and waist circumference were observed in the DMPA group at 12 months compared with the Cu-IUD group. Five DMPA users had abnormal HOMA-IR values, three of whom had gained > 5 kg in weight at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: HOMA-IR represents a useful tool to indicate changes in carbohydrate metabolism in non-obese DMPA users, especially when accompanied by measurement of clinical parameters such as BMI and waist circumference.

High prevalence of insulin resistance assessed by the glucose clamp technique in hormonal and non-hormonal contraceptive users.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and associated factors in contraceptive users. METHODS: A total of 47 women 18 to 40 years of age with a body mass index (kg/m(2)) < 30, fasting glucose levels < 100 mg/dl and 2-hour glucose level < 140 mg/dl after a 75-g oral glucose load were submitted to a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. The women were distributed in tertiles regarding M-values. The analysed variables were use of combined hormonal/non-hormonal contraception, duration of use, body composition, lipid profile, glucose levels and blood pressure. RESULTS: IR was detected in 19% of the participants. The women with low M-values presented significantly higher body fat mass, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and were nulligravida, showed > 1 year of contraceptive use and higher triglyceride levels. IR was more frequent among combined oral contraceptive users, however no association was observed after regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IR was high among healthy women attending a family planning clinic independent of the contraceptive method used with possible long-term negative consequences regarding their metabolic and cardiovascular health. Although an association between hormonal contraception and IR could not be found this needs further research. Family planning professionals should be proactive counselling healthy women about the importance of healthy habits.

Body composition and weight gain in new users of the three-monthly injectable contraceptive, depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate, after 12 months of follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate weight gain and body composition (BC) in new users of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) as a contraceptive. METHODS: This cohort study followed up 20 DMPA users and 20 copper intrauterine device (TCu380A IUD) users, paired for age (± 1 year) and body mass index (BMI ± 1 kg/m(2)), during 12-months. Healthy, non-obese women aged 18 to 40 years, unaffected by conditions that could influence their body weight, were enrolled. Socio-demographic variables, habits, weight, BMI, BC using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, circumferences, skinfold thickness, body fat percentage and waist-to-hip ratio were evaluated. All participants were encouraged to adopt healthy habits. RESULTS: At baseline, median age was 29 and 30.5 years, and mean BMI was 24.8 and 24.5 kg/m(2) in the DMPA and IUD groups, respectively. At 12 months, an increase was observed in waist and hip circumference in the DMPA users and 8/20 of them had a weight gain ≥ 5% (mean 4.6 kg) with accumulation of fat centrally. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in weight gain or in BC measurements between the groups; nevertheless 40% of women in the DMPA group had larger weight gain and accumulation of fat centrally. The duration of follow-up may have been insufficient to detect differences between the groups.