Assisting IUD and DMPA Users with Overcoming their Sexual and Mood Problems

Background: Contraceptive side effects have been recognized as the most important reasons accounting for discontinuation of the methods. Objectives: The present study attempts to identify the probable side effects that negatively affect sexual satisfaction and depression in Intra Uterine Device (IUD) and Depo-Medroxyprogestrone Acetate (DMPA) users. Methods: 150 IUD users and 150 DMPA users who had started the respective contraceptive method since the past 12-18 months participated in a cross-sectional study conducted in 34 health centers from August 2017 to January 2018, in Tehran, Iran. Index of Sexual Satisfaction and Patient Health Questionnaire were used for assessing sexual satisfaction and depression in the participants, respectively. Results: Chi-square and independent t-test showed no significant difference between demographic characteristic in the two groups (P>0.05). The linear logistic regression analysis showed that no variables affect sexual satisfaction in IUD users, while depression (P=0.01, B=1.12) and dysmenorrhea (P=0.05, B=2.06) were meaningful factors accounting for sexual satisfaction in DMPA users. Influential factors on depression were dysmenorrhea (P= 0.005, B=0.41) in IUD users, and sexual satisfaction (P= 0.005, B=0.05) and weight gain (P=0.029, B=0.31) in DMPA users. Pearson test showed a significant correlation between sexual satisfaction and depression (P=0.05, Pearson correlation=0.11). Conclusion: This study helps clinicians to improve sexual satisfaction and mood levels in IUD and DMPA users by manipulating some influential factors. With regard to the correlation between sexual satisfaction and depression, health providers should pay greater attention to these clients’ sexual life when they complain of depression, and vice versa.