Compare one type of contraception known as Depo-Provera and the Essay

Compare one type of contraception known as Depo-Provera and the biological mechanisms that it uses to different types of contraception and the mechanisms that t - Essay Example Each ml of Depo-Provera contains 150 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate. The chemical name of medroxyprogesterone acetate is pregn-4-ene-3, 20-dione, 17- (acetyyloxy)-6- methyl-, (6 alpha)-. The serum half-life of the drug is 50 days. Following a single dose of 150 mg given intramuscularly, the peak plasma levels of 1-7 ng/ml are attained at 3 weeks. After this peak, the levels gradually decrease between 120-200 days following injection. The effect of liver or renal diseases on the pharmacokinetics of the drug is unknown. It decreases plasma levels of cortisol, estrogen, pregnendiol, progesterone and testesterone. It also decreases levels of gonadotrophins and sex-hormone binding globulin (Drug Label, Depo-Provera). The only indication for the use of this drug is contraception. It is an effective contraceptive with less than 1 pregnancy per 100 users per year (Population Reports, BNET Research). It can also be used in the treatment of endometriosis, abnormal menstrual bleeding or amenorrhea (Chrousos, p.663). Like other progestins, medroxyprogesterone acetate enters the cell and binds to progesterone receptors that are distributed between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The ligand-receptor complex then binds to a progesterone response element to activate gene transcription (Chrousos, p.663). It prevents follicular maturation and ovulation and causes endometrial thinning. These actions produce the contraceptive effect (Drug Label, Depo-Provera). DMPA is contraindicated in pregnant women. This is because there is some evidence suggesting the development of genital abnormalities in fetuses exposed to this drug in the first trimester. Also, studies have shown that the babies may have low birth weight which can increase the risk of neonatal complications. Though the metabolites of DMPA are secreted in breast milk, no apparent hazard to the feeding baby is known. Other contraindications include vaginal bleeding of unknown