Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate versus norethisterone oenanthate for long-acting progestogenic contraception : a systematic review

Includes bibliographical references.[Background] Two injectable progestogen-only contraceptives (IPCs) depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and norethisterone oenanthate (NET-EN) continue to be extensively used in some countries, forming a large proportion of the health system's expenditure on contraception. Both these highly effective contraceptives receive wide acceptance amongst women in their fertile years. They differ in cost and frequently of administration. A systematic comparison was undertaken to investiage their rational use. [Objectives] To determine if there are differences between depot medroxyprogesterone acetate given at a dose of 150mg IM every three months and norethisterone oenathate given at a dose of 200mg IM every two months, in terms of contraceptive effectiveness, reversibility and discontinuation patterns, and adverse clinical effects. [Study Design] A Cochrane systematic review was used to answer the question posed in the research objective. This included a systematic search for all available literature comapring DMPA and NET-EN, followed by appraisal of all studies for inclusion in the review. Meta-analysis was then applied to the included study