Injectable Contraception
If you intend to get your Depo-Provera® shots at M.S. Shook Student Health Service, please review the Student Information Sheet prior to your first visit.
Links
Telephone
- Toll free patient information line: 1-866-554-DEPO (3376)
- Available 24 hours/day, 7 days/week
NOTE: Depo-Provera® should not be given if there is a possibility of pregnancy. The first injection should be given within five days after the start of your period.
Benefits
- Does not contain estrogen which is in most oral contraceptives
- Gives protection to prevent pregnancy for three months
- You do not have to remember to take a pill every day
- Can be used by nursing mothers
- No packets to keep track of and it cannot be seen or felt
Side Effects
You may have:
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- Amenorrhea
- Weight gain
- Headache
- Nervousness
- Stomach Pain or cramps
- Dizziness
- Weakness or fatigue
- Decreased sex drive
Risks
- Loss of calcium from your bones
- Possible slight increase in chance of breast cancer
- The medication cannot be reversed, but the effects will wear off over several months
If you are taking Depo-Provera® shots and have any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider or come to M.S. Shook Student Health Service:
- Unusually heavy bleeding
- Persistent pain, drainage or bleeding at the injection site
- Severe abdominal pain
- Chest pain or shortness of breath
- Severe headaches
- Eye problems such as blurred vision or loss of vision
- Severe leg pain
Certain medical conditions may make Depo-Provera® use unwise. These conditions include:
- You think that you may be pregnant
- You have vaginal bleeding without a known cause
- You have or have had blood clots in legs, lungs, eyes, etc.
- You have problems with your liver or have liver disease
- You have an allergy to Depo-Provera®
- You have had breast cancer
- You have had a stroke
Your health care provider should know if you have any of the following:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Epilepsy
- Migraine headaches
- Kidney disease
- Asthma
- Abnormal mammogram or breast disease
- Family history of breast cancer
- Irregular or scanty menstrual periods
- Any medication you are taking
Stopping Depo-Provera®
If you wish to stop using Depo-Provera®, simply do not get your next injection. After stopping Depo-Provera® most women who wish to become pregnant will do so in 12-18 months. If you don't want to get pregnant, see your health care provider or one of the clinicians at M.S. Shook Student Health Service to choose a different birth control method.
Page content reviewed: 6/04/18 fwg
