Continuation of injectable contraception when self-injected vs. administered by a facility-based health worker: a nonrandomized, prospective cohort study in Uganda

The purpose of this study was to compare 12-month continuation rates for subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) administered via self-injection and DMPA-IM administered by a health worker in Uganda. Women seeking injectable contraception at participating health facilities were offered the choice of self-injecting DMPA-SC or receiving an injection of DMPA-IM from a health worker. Those opting for self-injection were trained one-on-one. They self-injected under supervision and took home three units, a client instruction guide and a reinjection calendar. Those opting for DMPA-IM received an injection and an appointment card for the next facility visit in 3 months. We interviewed participants at baseline (first injection) and after 3 (second injection), 6 (third injection) and 9 (fourth injection) months, or upon discontinuation. We used Kaplan–Meier methods to estimate continuation probabilities, with a log-rank test to compare differences between groups. A multivariate Cox regression identified factors correlated with discontinuation.