Trace Elements Levels and Blood Pressure in Ghanaian Women Using Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Contraceptive

Background: The benefit of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) (an injectable contraceptive) relate to the fact that it has a very high efficacy in pregnancy prevention.

Aim: We investigated the effect of the hormonal contraceptive, DMPA on the levels of trace elements: (Selenium (Se), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn)) and blood pressure.

Materials and Methods: Fifty (50) women on DMPA and thirty (30) controls (who were not on DPMA) were recruited from the Kasoa Polyclinic in the Central Region of Ghana. Blood was collected for the estimation of trace elements using mass spectrometry. Blood pressure was measured and body mass index (BMI) calculated.

Results: Serum levels of Cu was found to be significantly elevated among participants on DMPA compared to healthy controls (P=0.002). Se levels were however slightly but insignificantly reduced (P=0.316) among participants on DMPA. There was also a significantly elevated diastolic blood pressure (76.00 ± 11.95 mmHg, P=0.03) among DMPA users compared to the controls. Serum Cu correlated positively with Zn(r=0.463) (P=0.001) among the DMPA users.

Conclusion: DMPA users had an increase in Cu with reduced Se levels as well as an increased blood pressure. However, no change in serum Zn concentration was seen among DMPA users compared to the controls.