An observational study in Contraceptive Usage, sponsored by Jhpiego. Completed at 41 sites in Pakistan. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 49 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-22.
Sponsored by Jhpiego · Observational
The aim of this study is to assess the value proposition of expanding contraceptive options available to women in Punjab, Pakistan to include subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC).
Specific objectives are:
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a highly-effective, injectable contraceptive method that requires injections every 11 to 17 weeks. It is available in both intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) formulations, which are therapeutically equivalent and have similar safety profiles. DMPA-IM has been included in the method mix for most countries for many years. DMPA-SC is a newer formulation being added to the method mix in select settings. Studies demonstrate that self-administration of subcutaneous DMPA (DMPA-SC) outside clinical settings is safe, effective, feasible, acceptable, and can improve continuation, and a recommendation in favor of self-injected DMPA-SC is included in WHO guidelines on self-care interventions for health and well-being.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding implementation research in multiple countries to understand how self-injection of DMPA-SC can best be introduced to specific markets to expand the contraceptive options available to women and girls, health system characteristics, the demand for self-injection when DMPA-SC is offered alongside a range of other methods, and women's and girl's ability to start and continue use. Jhpiego has received funding to conduct one of these 'market tests' in Punjab, Pakistan.
The aim of this study is to assess the value proposition of expanding contraceptive options available to women in Punjab, Pakistan to include subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC).
Specific objectives are:
132 studies on the registry are indexed under Contraception Behavior; 20 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 1,009 is above the median of 149 across 22 observational studies indexed under Contraception Behavior.
Browse Contraception Behavior studies →Jhpiego is the lead sponsor of 32 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Clients receiving family planning counseling and services at participating public and private health facilities in Kasur and Khanewal districts of Punjab, Pakistan
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
All married women of reproductive age who receive family planning counseling at a participating health facility and who choose to receive injectable contraception will be given an option of either DMPA-IM (current health worker administered standard of care) or DMPA-SC (new administration method, with option for self-injection after completing training). Those opting for DMPA-SC will receive training on self-injection procedures and an opportunity to practice injection procedures on a model (e.g. condom filled with salt) to demonstrate confidence and proficiency to inject herself under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Clients will then be shown how to use a calendar to determine when their next injection is due, and provided a calendar/reminder card, job aids that illustrate self-injection steps (including safe disposal of needles), and 3 doses of DMPA-SC to take home for future use.
Behavioral: Contraceptive usage
All married women of reproductive age who receive family planning counseling at a participating health facility and who choose to receive injectable contraception will be given an option of either DMPA-IM (current health worker administered standard of care) or DMPA-SC (new administration method, with option for self-injection after completing training).
Behavioral: Contraceptive usage
Continued use of injectable contraception, administered on a quarterly basis
DMPA continuation rate
Participant use of DMPA measured at 3, 6 and 9 months following enrollment (providing coverage for 3 months with each dose)
Time frame: up to 12 months
Characteristics of women in the two study groups (DMPA-SC and DMPA-IM users)
Demographics, contraceptive history, decision-making, reasons for choosing method, reproductive empowerment, self-confidence
Time frame: At enrollment
Family planning service provision and injectable contraceptive use experiences of women in the two study groups (DMPA-SC and DMPA-IM users)
Experiences receiving family planning services and with chosen contraceptive method
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Plan to share: No — A deidentified analytical dataset will be posted in an open access repository upon study completion.
This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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