What You Should Know About The INJECTION DMPA

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• Safe
• Effective
• Reversible
• Convenient

What you should know about Injections

• Injection is an effective contraceptive method.
• It is a hormonal preparation (progesterone) taken at three monthly intervals. Each dose contains 150mg of Depo Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (DMPA).
• It is injected deep into your muscle. The hormone is released slowly from the muscle into the blood stream.

How do Injections work?

• It prevents the release of eggs (ova).
• Thickens the cervical mucus and making the sperm migration difficult.
• Makes the uterine inner wall (lining of the womb) thin so that the implantation of the embryo (early pregnancy stage) will not take place.

When to start?

• Having periods

Within first 7 days of periods.

• After child birth

6 weeks after child birth?

• After abortion

Within the first week of abortion.

What are the advantages?

• Effective
  • It is 97% effective if used properly.

• Breast Feeding
  • It is safe for breast feeding mothers.

• No effect on sexual intercourse

• Affordability and availability
  • Provided at low cost at Family Planning clinics and free at the MOH Clinics around the country.

• Convenience
  • Need to take once every 3 months.

Are there any disadvantages?

• It may take around 4 months after stopping the injection, for fertility to return.
• Dose not protect against Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Side effects

• Changes in the menstrual cycle - You may get irregular menses or no menses at all.
• Headaches and dizziness.
• Mild breast pain and swelling.

Who are the best candidates for Injections?

Injection (DMPA) is a perfect method of contraception for couples who want to space their pregnancies and for breast feeding mothers who want a reversible contraceptive method.