McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Women's Health Advisor 2002.2
Spanish version

What is Depo-Provera?

Depo-Provera is a shot (injection) for women that prevents pregnancy. This method of birth control has been used by millions of women in many countries and has been approved for use in the U.S. since 1992.

Depo-Provera is a synthetic form of the female hormone progesterone. (Progesterone is one of the hormones used in birth control pills.) After an injection of Depo-Provera, the high level of progesterone in your body prevents your ovaries from releasing an egg for the next 3 months. If the ovaries do not release an egg, you can't become pregnant. Pregnancy rates for women using Depo-Provera are less than 1%.

How is it used?

Every 3 months your health care provider will give you an injection of Depo-Provera. The shot is usually given in a muscle of the upper arm or buttock within 5 days after the start of your menstrual period.

The timing of the shot after you have had a baby depends on whether you are breast-feeding. If you are breast-feeding, you should wait until 6 weeks after the birth to get the shot. Use other forms of birth control, such as condoms or spermicides, during these 6 weeks.

If you are not breast-feeding, you should get your shot within 5 days after the birth.

What are the benefits?

Some of the benefits of Depo-Provera are:

• It is one of the most reliable forms of birth control.
• Protection against pregnancy starts 24 hours after the injection.
• There are no pills to take or devices to insert, and there is no interruption of sex.
• It can be used by women who are breast-feeding.
• Depo-Provera does not contain estrogen. It can be used by women who cannot take birth control pills because of the risk of cardiovascular problems from the estrogen in the pills.

Because eventually you may stop having menstrual periods while you are taking Depo-Provera, this method of birth control has other benefits, such as:

• You are less likely to become anemic.
• You may no longer have a heavy menstrual flow or painful periods.

What are the risks and disadvantages?

At first, the increased level of progesterone in your body may cause irregular menstrual bleeding or spotting. Gradually, as your shots continue, you will stop having your periods. After you stop getting the shots, your menstrual periods will begin to return to normal.

If you decide to have a baby, it may take you at least a year to conceive after the last shot. Consider using Depo-Provera for birth control only if you know you don't want to get pregnant for at least a year.

Many women have no problems while using Depo-Provera. However, the following side effects have been reported by some women, and you should watch for them:

• weight gain
• headaches
• nervousness
• abdominal or back pain
• breast pain
• weakness or fatigue
• dizziness
• acne
• decreased sex drive
• depression
• nausea
• insomnia.

Other cautions associated with Depo-Provera include:

• Depo-Provera does not protect you against sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS. Latex condoms are the only safe way to protect against AIDS.
• If you have diabetes and are taking Depo-Provera, your health care provider will watch you closely for signs of increased blood sugar.
• If you have a history of mental depression and are taking Depo-Provera, your provider will watch you closely for signs of depression. Stop getting the shots if your depression recurs and get help from a counselor.
• Very long term use of Depo-Provera may decrease your bone density somewhat, but recent studies have not found that it increases your risk of broken bones or osteoporosis (weakening of the bones).

Depo-Provera should not be used if:

• You think you may be pregnant. (If you discover that you were pregnant at the time of an injection, tell your health care provider as soon as possible.)
• You have abnormal vaginal bleeding without a known cause.
• You have had breast cancer.
• You have had a stroke or blood clots.
• You have liver disease or other liver problems.

When should I call my health care provider?

Call your health care provider if:

• You have an allergic reaction to the medicine (difficulty breathing, itching, skin rash, or redness).
• You find that you were pregnant at the time of an injection or if you become pregnant within 3 months of an injection.
• You have side effects that continue or get worse.
• You want to change to a different birth control method.

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.