Depo provera how many weeks

Emergency Contraception. Path to improved health Depo-Provera works for about 3 months at a time. Most women who use Depo-Provera have changes in their menstrual periods. These may include: Bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods. An increase or decrease in menstrual bleeding. No menstrual bleeding at all.

Other possible side effects of Depo-Provera include: weight gain headaches nervousness abdominal pain dizziness weakness or fatigue osteoporosis loss of bone density blood clots chance of an ectopic pregnancy when a pregnancy is located outside of the uterus Things to consider Due to an increased risk of osteoporosis, you should limit the use of Depo-Provera to 2 years.

You should not use it if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or have: Uncontrolled high blood pressure. Heart, kidney, or liver disease. Breast cancer. A history of heart attack or stroke. Unknown vaginal bleeding. An allergy to the drug in Depo-Provera. Questions to ask your doctor How do I know if Depo-Provera is right for me, or if I should use another form of birth control?

Does my age play a factor in using Depo-Provera? How long can I take Depo-Provera? You can have the Sayana Press injection in your tummy abdomen or thigh and would normally learn to do this yourself. You can have the injection at any time during your menstrual cycle, as long as you're not pregnant. If you have the injection during the first 5 days of your menstrual cycle, you'll be immediately protected against becoming pregnant. If you have the injection on any other day of your cycle, you'll need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for 7 days.

You can have the contraceptive injection any time after you have given birth if you're not breastfeeding. If you're breastfeeding, the injection will usually be given after 6 weeks. You're more likely to have heavy and irregular bleeding if you have the injection during the first few weeks after giving birth.

You can have the injection immediately after a miscarriage or an abortion and will be protected against pregnancy straight away. If you have the injection more than 5 days after a miscarriage or abortion, you'll need to use additional contraception, such as condoms, for the next 7 days.

There's a small risk of infection at the site of the injection. In very rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the injection. Using Depo-Provera affects your natural oestrogen levels, which can cause thinning of the bones, but it does not increase your risk of breaking a bone. This is not a problem for most women because the bone replaces itself when you stop the injection, and it does not appear to cause any long-term problems. Sometimes the doctor may recommend that you stop after 2 years so there's no long-term effect on your bones.

Find a sexual health clinic. It's very similar to Depo-Provera in the way it works and the effects it can have on your body. Occasionally a woman will have troublesome heavy bleeding, which can usually be controlled by hormone treatment. Hormone levels are very low while using Depo Provera, so there is some concern that this may lead to thinning of the bones osteoporosis in women who use Depo Provera for a long period of time.

The importance of this is not yet known, but the changes would be expected to happen more slowly than those that occur normally after menopause and reverse after the injections stop. Although it is extremely difficult to prove a complete lack of risk, Depo Provera has not been shown to have any effect on the risk of breast cancer.

It should be noted that protective effects against cancer of the ovary and uterine lining are very likely. No ill effects on the developing baby have been shown to occur if Depo Provera is given when a woman is already pregnant or in the very rare case where a woman becomes pregnant despite the injection.

Depo Provera can be used by most women who do not have any serious medical problems and by many women who use other forms of contraception. It may also be suitable for women who cannot take the combined pill for medical reasons. Information about long acting reversilble contraception LARC , including contraceptive injections, is also available in Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Vietnamese — see Downloads section on this page.

Long acting reversible contraception, such as intra uterine devices IUDs , contraceptive implants and contraceptive injections, may be the choice for you. If you're having sex and don't want to get pregnant, you need contraception. Contraception is also called birth control or family planning. But the risk of pregnancy is much lower if you return every three months for your injection. Depo-SubQ Provera was highly effective in initial studies. However, it's a newer medication, so current research may not reflect pregnancy rates in typical use.

Depo-Provera doesn't protect against sexually transmitted infections. In fact, some studies suggest that hormonal contraceptives such as Depo-Provera might increase your risk of chlamydia and HIV. It isn't known whether this association is due to the hormone or behavioral issues related to the use of reliable contraception. Using condoms will decrease your risk of a sexually transmitted infection.

If you're concerned about HIV, talk with your health care provider. It might affect bone mineral density. This loss might be especially concerning in teens who haven't reached their peak bone mass. And it's not clear whether this loss is reversible. Because of this, the U. Food and Drug Administration added strong warnings to the injection packaging cautioning that Depo-Provera and Depo-SubQ Provera shouldn't be used for longer than two years.

The warning also states that using these products might increase the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life. If you have other risk factors for osteoporosis, such as a family history of bone loss and certain eating disorders, it's a good idea to discuss the potential risks and benefits of this form of contraception with your doctor, as well as learn about other contraceptive options.

Other side effects of Depo-Provera usually decrease or stop within the first few months. They might include:. Many experts believe progestin-only contraceptive methods, such as Depo-Provera, carry significantly lower risks of these types of complications than do contraceptive methods that contain both estrogen and progestin. You'll need a prescription for Depo-Provera from your health care provider, who will likely review your medical history and possibly check your blood pressure before prescribing the drug.

Talk to your health care provider about all your medications, including nonprescription and herbal products.