Microprogestative and Other Hormonal Contraceptives Use: Exploring the potential Impact on Ectopic Pregnancy among Women of reproductive age in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Microprogestative and Other Hormonal Contraceptives Use: Exploring the potential Impact on Ectopic Pregnancy among Women of reproductive age in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 January 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Microprogestative and Other Hormonal Contraceptives Use: Exploring the potential Impact on Ectopic Pregnancy among Women of reproductive age in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Author : Joshua EKOUO 0009-0002-8959-8880 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176820678.83815873/v1 126 views 54 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Objective To examine the use of hormonal contraceptives, particularly microprogestative oral pills, injectables, and implants, and their potential association with ectopic pregnancy risk among women in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), amid challenges like inconsistent access, biological mechanisms, usage patterns, and contextual health system factors. Design Narrative literature review synthesizing peer-reviewed journals, institutional reports, and grey literature. Setting Eastern DRC provinces (North and South Kivu, Ituri), characterized by conflict, weak health infrastructure, and limited diagnostic resources. within the broader context of sub-Saharan Africa. Population or Sample Women of reproductive age using hormonal contraceptive methods in Eastern DRC, with particular attention to young, postpartum, and unmarried women relying on progestin-only pills, injectables, and implants. Methods Peer-reviewed articles, institutional reports, and grey literature published between 2010 and 2025 were reviewed using databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, alongside data from UNFPA, DKT-RDC, and the Congolese Ministry of Health. Sources were selected based on relevance, methodological rigor, and applicability to the DRC context. Main Outcome Measures Ectopic pregnancy incidence (0.8–4% of pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa); relative risk among progestin-only contraceptive failures; contraceptive adherence, access barriers, and contextual amplifiers like supply disruptions and sociocultural factors. Results Ectopic pregnancy accounts for approximately 0.8% to 2–4% of reported pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa, though underdiagnosis is likely in Eastern DRC due to limited diagnostic capacity. Progestin-only contraceptives are widely used because of their accessibility and suitability during lactation; however, inconsistent use, missed doses, and supply interruptions are common. When contraceptive failure occurs, progestin-only methods may be associated with a higher proportional risk of ectopic implantation compared with combined oral contraceptives, due to altered tubal motility and incomplete ovulation suppression. Sociocultural barriers, weak counseling, stockouts, and high prevalence of confounding factors such as pelvic inflammatory disease further increase risk. Conclusions Progestin-only contraceptives offer key benefits in Eastern DRC but require improved education, supply chains, screening, and data systems to minimize ectopic pregnancy risks from misuse; prospective studies needed for confirmation. Supplementary Material File (manuscript 2.docx) Download 33.86 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 January 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords contraception: epidemiology contraception: methods ectopic pregnancy epidemiology: contraception sexual health Authors Affiliations Joshua EKOUO 0009-0002-8959-8880 [email protected] Medical Research Circle View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 126 views 54 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Joshua EKOUO. Microprogestative and Other Hormonal Contraceptives Use: Exploring the potential Impact on Ectopic Pregnancy among Women of reproductive age in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Authorea . 12 January 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176820678.83815873/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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