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Research |
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Progestin-Only Injectables Appear Safe for Women with Sickle Cell Disease |
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A Cochrane review from Family Health International, conducted with partial support from USAID, suggests that women with sickle cell disease may safely use the progestin-only injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). These findings are particularly relevant in sub-Saharan Africa, where the popularity of DMPA is increasing and sickle cell disease is widespread. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells can become sickle-shaped, making it hard for them to pass through small blood vessels. People of African descent are at a high risk of having the condition. With only one small, randomized controlled trial of 25 women with sickle cell disease available, the authors of the review found that DMPA use appeared to be safe. The women who were using DMPA were less likely than the women who were not using the contraceptive to suffer from bone pain associated with the disease. These results are in agreement with current recommendations from the World Health Organization that no restrictions be placed on the use of DMPA and other progestin-only methods of family planning by women with sickle cell disease. Read more about the use of hormonal methods in women with sickle cell disease, or read more about Cochrane reviews in general. Source |
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