Magister Curationis - MCur / Depo-Provera, an injectable contraceptive, is utilized by about 30% of married women in Malawi. Most women have reported their preference to use Depo-Provera due to its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy, reversibility and easy to use since it is given once at 12-weeks intervals. Despite the method having such advantages, it has menstrual effects, and one of the major concerns for women, particularly in Africa, is amenorrhea. In Malawi, 40% of Depo-Provera users report experiencing amenorrhea after one year of use. Despite the concern for amenorrhea, some women have continued using the method. Literature shows that there is limited information on women's experiences of amenorrhea following use of Depo-Provera. A descriptive phenomenological research design was used to explore and describe women’s experiences of amenorrhea following use of Depo-Provera in order to understand how women experience amenorrhea and give meaning to the experience. Data were collected through in-depth unstructured interviews with six women, who were selected using purposive sampling. The interviews were conducted in Tumbuka language. Data analysis was done using Colaizzi’s method of analyzing descriptive phenomenological data. Five themes and some sub-themes emerged from data analysis. The themes were: "Lack of knowledge on cause of amenorrhea", "Fear of pregnancy", "Misconceptions associated with Depo-Provera Induced Amenorrhea", "Lack of proper counseling on amenorrhea resulting from Depo-Provera use" and "Amenorrhea not perceived as a problem when midwives provide adequate information". The themes showed that women accessing family planning services from Chitipa district hospital were not provided with information on amenorrhea resulting from using Depo- Provera. Hence, they expressed fear when they experienced the side effect. Participants stated that they were afraid of becoming infertile after using the family planning method, getting pregnant as well as amenorrhea itself. Their intention to discontinue using the method was largely associated with negative rumors, beliefs and misconceptions. The conclusion of the study is that there is need for midwives to provide information on amenorrhea resulting from Depo-Provera use. This will assist clients to understand that amenorrhea could occur as a side effect, and hence improve continued utilization of the method.

Quality of life (QOL) is an important issue that should be addressed by nurses in all areas of practice. One patient population for whom this is important is patients who have cardiac valve replacement surgery. Research has shown that patients over 70 who have prosthetic valve implantation have an improved QOL. However, no research has been done on the QOL for children or women of childbearing age. This deficit in nursing research must be addressed in order for patients to have access to the information they deserve before making the decision to pursue surgical treatment. Medical research has shown that women of childbearing age face numerous complications that may render them functionally infertile, and mental health research has shown that infertility can greatly affect a woman's psychological state. The purpose of this thesis was to analyze and synthesize recent research for QOL in these populations. Implications for nursing practice, education and research were also addressed.