Clinical Case Rounds in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: De Novo Self-Mutilation and Depressive Symptoms in a 17-year-old Adolescent Girl Receiving Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate.

INTRODUCTION

Contraception-induced mood changes have been identified since the 1960s. To our knowledge, there has been no reported case about self-mutilation associated to any form of contraception. We report the case of a 17-year-old adolescent girl who presented with de novo self-mutilation and depressive symptoms three and a half weeks after the administration of 150 mg of Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA).

METHOD: Clinical case report and literature review. Possible confounding factors are reviewed.

RESULTS

The patient had no personal psychiatric history and no significant family psychiatric history. A DSM-IV diagnosis of "mood disorder due to DMPA with depressive features" was formulated. There was no evidence of abnormal personality functioning. The mental status exam and collateral information validated the severity of her condition.

DISCUSSION: DMPA is a birth control method especially useful for adolescent girls and possible secondary mood symptoms should not limit its access. However, since depressive symptoms substantially interfere with daily functioning and may have unfortunate consequences like self-mutilation and suicidal ideation, it is important to remain vigilant regarding the onset of mood symptoms following contraceptive use in adolescent girls. This vigilance should be more specific regarding adolescent girls with a history of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, self-mutilation or family diathesis of these conditions.