{"id":2812,"date":"2018-07-25T21:46:14","date_gmt":"2018-07-26T01:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=2812"},"modified":"2024-05-20T16:38:04","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T20:38:04","slug":"birth-control-shot-depo-provera-contraceptive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/birth-control-shot-depo-provera-contraceptive\/","title":{"rendered":"The Depo shot 101: Everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are a variety of birth control options for women. But not all options are equal. If you\u2019ve been cleared by your healthcare provider to use hormonal birth control and you would like to avoid the hassle of remembering to take <\/span>daily pills<\/span><\/a> or fiddling with a hormone patch, you might want to consider the birth control shot\u2014<\/span>Depo-Provera<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

What is the Depo shot?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Also known as the Depo shot, the birth control shot, or DMPA, Depo-Provera is an incredibly effective, safe, and reversible birth control method that first became available in 1992. A recent <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a> study revealed that almost 25% of women who used birth control prevention during the years 2011 to 2015 had tried the birth control shot, making it a more common option during that time frame than the <\/span>IUD<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>hormone patch<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>
\nAlthough it\u2019s not as long-acting as the <\/span>implant<\/span><\/a> or IUD, the birth control shot does last longer than the pill or patch since every dose of the shot is effective for approximately three months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How does the Depo shot work?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Depo-Provera (what is Depo-Provera?<\/a>) is an injectable form of birth control that uses 150 mg of the hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate (a progestin) to stop ovulation and thicken your cervical mucus. It\u2019s typically injected into your upper arm or buttock by your healthcare provider at his or her office every 12 to 13 weeks. Depo-Provera is an IM (intramuscular injection), which means that it is injected into a muscle. It is available in both brand-name and generic form.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(Depo-Provera is also available at a lower dose under the name <\/span>Depo-SubQ Provera 104<\/span><\/a>, but there is no generic available in that dose.) This version is a subcutaneous injection, which means that it is injected just under the skin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Depo shot begins working immediately with no need for backup birth control if you get it <\/span>within seven days of the first day of your menstrual period<\/span><\/a>. If you get your contraceptive injection outside of this time frame, you\u2019ll need to abstain, or use a backup method (like condoms) for a week after your first shot.<\/span><\/p>\n

The birth control shot is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when it\u2019s administered perfectly on time, which is somewhere between 12 to 13 weeks. If you\u2019re unable to make it to your healthcare provider\u2019s office in that time frame or if you forget to make a follow-up appointment, the Depo-Provera shot\u2019s effectiveness drops to 94%, and you may have to get a pregnancy test before your next dose.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Are there any Depo shot side effects?\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Most common side effects associated with Depo-Provera go away after two or three months of beginning the shot, but here are a few to keep in mind:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n