Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate contraception in women with medical problems.

Since few clinical trials of contraceptive agents are conducted on women with medical problems, use of these agents in these populations is often based more upon theoretical considerations than clinical data. Clinicians must distinguish the risk of estrogen in the combined oral contraceptive from the risk of the progestin-only contraceptive methods. This review compares the risks of pregnancy with the risks of contraceptive methods for patients with chronic hypertension, cardiac disease, thrombotic disorders, diabetes, epilepsy, lupus erythematosus and other medical disorders. For women with certain medical problems, estrogen, but not progestogen, may be contraindicated. For these women, a long-acting progestogen, such as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), may offer distinct advantages.