OBJECTIVE: To assess whether women who were administered the first injection of DMPA+E(2)C on day 7 of their menstrual cycle (delayed injection) exhibit the same degree of ovarian suppression as women who receive it on day 5 of their menstrual cycle. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized controlled trial. SETTING:Reproductive health clinics. PATIENT(S): Women aged between 18 and 38 years (inclusive) willing to use DMPA+E(2)C as their method of contraception. INTERVENTION(S): Participants received a DMPA+E(2)C injection on day 5 (control group, n = 41) or day 7 (delayed-injection group, n = 117) of their menstrual cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Ovarian activity and follicular development determined by serial serum progesterone levels and vaginal ultrasound. RESULT(S): Participants who received DMPA+E(2)C on day 5 of their menstrual cycle (control group) exhibited no more than limited follicular growth (no follicle >16 mm). Of those women who received DMPA+E(2)C on day 7 of their menstrual cycle (delayed-injection group), 21 (18%) showed some follicular growth, of whom 4 (3%) ovulated. CONCLUSION(S): The first injection of DMPA+E(2)C given on day 7 of a menstrual cycle does not provide the same inhibition of ovarian activity as that observed when it is administered on day 5 of the menstrual cycle.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To assess whether women who were administered the first injection of DMPA+E(2)C on day 7 of their menstrual cycle (delayed injection) exhibit the same degree of ovarian suppression as women who receive it on day 5 of their menstrual cycle. DESIGN: Multicenter, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Reproductive health clinics. PATIENT(S): Women aged between 18 and 38 years (inclusive) willing to use DMPA+E(2)C as their method of contraception. INTERVENTION(S): Participants received a DMPA+E(2)C injection on day 5 (control group, n = 41) or day 7 (delayed-injection group, n = 117) of their menstrual cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Ovarian activity and follicular development determined by serial serum progesterone levels and vaginal ultrasound. RESULT(S): Participants who received DMPA+E(2)C on day 5 of their menstrual cycle (control group) exhibited no more than limited follicular growth (no follicle >16 mm). Of those women who received DMPA+E(2)C on day 7 of their menstrual cycle (delayed-injection group), 21 (18%) showed some follicular growth, of whom 4 (3%) ovulated. CONCLUSION(S): The first injection of DMPA+E(2)C given on day 7 of a menstrual cycle does not provide the same inhibition of ovarian activity as that observed when it is administered on day 5 of the menstrual cycle.