Original research article A 2-year prospective study on the effects of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate on bone mass—response to estrogen and calcium therapy in individual users

The primary aim of this prospective 2-year follow-up study was to investigate the effect of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) on the maintenance of bone mass in women aged 30 – 45 years. The effects of estrogen or calcium substitution during the second year of follow-up was investigated in seven DMPA users with a high annual bone loss during the first year. The bone mass of 35 users of DMPA and 10 women without hormonal contraception was investigated using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The baseline cortical and trabecular bone mass (TBM) and the annual change was not different in DMPA users and controls. Over 24 months we measured an increase in TBM of 0.6% and a decrease in cortical bone mass of 0.1% in exposed women. Some but not all of the DMPA users with a bone loss during the first year could be successfully treated with estradiol or calcium. In conclusion, we did not observe an accelerated bone loss in DMPA users aged 30 – 45 years. © 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.