Description
Depo-Provera for Injection 150 mg/mL Single-Dose Vials 25/Tray
Depo-Provera Contraceptive for Injection is a progestin-only contraceptive. It is a hormone injection that is given to women to prevent pregnancy. It works by stopping the ovaries from releasing eggs. It also thickens the cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach the uterus and fertilize an egg. It is effective for three months.
Depo-Provera is used to prevent pregnancy and manage medical conditions related to your menstrual cycle. Your health care provider might recommend Depo-Provera if: You don’t want to take a birth control pill every day.
Commonly referred to as the birth control shot, Depo-Provera® is an injectable form of birth control. This contraceptive option is a shot that’s given on a regular schedule (every three months). It doesn’t require any daily action and is very effective when taken according to the schedule.
What is Depo-Provera®?
Depo-Provera® (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate) is an injectable birth control method for women. Commonly called the depo shot or birth control shot, this medication is injected into your arm or buttocks. It contains a type of progesterone hormone Depo-Provera® shots provide protection against pregnancy for up to 14 weeks — though you typically need to receive one shot every 12 weeks.
Although Depo-Provera® is effective at preventing pregnancy, it does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It’s important to still use barrier protection (condoms) to prevent STIs.
How does Depo-Provera® work?
The Depo-Provera® shot works by impacting ovulation — the part of the reproductive cycle when an egg is released from a woman’s ovary — and thickening your cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from successfully getting to the egg.
The shot is injected into your muscle (often your arm or buttocks) and needs to be provided on a schedule of approximately every 12 weeks or three months.
How is Depo-Provera® different from other types of birth control?
This injectable type of birth control has a few differences from other forms of birth control. Unlike an oral contraceptive, you do not need to do anything daily with the birth control shot. You receive the shot every three months from your provider and — other than making sure you stick to the schedule for receiving your shot on time — you don’t need to do anything else to prevent pregnancy.
Where can I get Depo-Provera®?
This type of birth control is a prescription medication that must be ordered by your healthcare provider (often your Ob/Gyn or women’s health provider). In many cases, the injection is given in your provider’s office by a nurse or a nurse that can come to your home. There is a different brand of the birth control shot that can be administered by patients at home. This shot is called Depo-subQ Provera 104. Unlike the Depo-Provera® shot that you may receive in your provider’s office, this version doesn’t need to go into your muscular tissue. Your provider will teach you how to properly give yourself this shot before you start doing it on your own. Currently, there’s no generic version of this medication. For cost reasons, many patients plan for intramuscular injections given by nurses.
