Reassessing Use of Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate in Select Groups of Women: Applying the 2024 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Guidelines

Abstract

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Westhoff

. Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate injection (Depo-Provera): A highly effective contraceptive option with proven long-term safety. Contraception 2003;68(2): Pages:75–87; doi: 10.1016/S0010-7824(03)00136-7

2.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Injectables: Summary from U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (U.S. SPR). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/hcp/usspr/injectables.html

3. Kennedy

, Yeh

, Gaffield

, et al. Self administration of injectable contraception: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Glob Health 2019;4(2):e001350; doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2018-001350

4. Nguyen

, Curtis

, Tepper

, Contributors. et al.; U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2024. MMWR Recomm Rep 2024;73(4):1–126.

5. Winner

, Peipert

, Zhao

, et al. Effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraception. N Engl J Med 2012;366(21):1998–2007; doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1110855

6.National Library of Medicine. DEPO-PROVERA-medroxyprogesterone acetate injection, suspension [label data]. DailyMed. Updated July 26, 2024. Available from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=199cf13e-0859-4a73-9b45-e700d0cd1049 [Last accessed: October 8, 2025].

7.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Summary Chart of U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (U.S. MEC). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/media/pdfs/2024/07/us-mec-summary-chart-color-508.pdf

8.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Appendix A: Summary of Changes from U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2016. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/hcp/usmec/changes-from-2016.html

9. Tepper

, et al. Progestin-only contraception and thrombosis: An updated systematic review. Contraception 2025;0(0):1100978; doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2025.1100978

10.

10. Curtis

, Nguyen

, Tepper

, et al. Using updated clinical recommendations to support contraceptive decision-making: U.S. medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 2024. Contraception 2026;159:111015; doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2025.111015

11.

11.Safety and effectiveness of contraception among women with solid organ transplants: an updated systematic review. Contraception 2025:111205; doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2025.111205