The depo shot (also known as Depo-Provera) is a three-monthly injectable. It’s a safe, discreet, and easy birth control technique that works well if you get it on time every time.
How does the birth control shot work?
The hormone progestin is contained in the birth control injection (also known as Depo-Provera, the Depo shot, or DMPA). By inhibiting ovulation, progestin prevents you from becoming pregnant. Pregnancy is impossible when there is no egg in the tube. It also acts by thickening the cervical mucus. Sperm are unable to get through thicker mucus on the cervix. And if the sperm and the egg can’t connect, pregnancy is impossible.
Does the shot protect against STDs?
No. Although the injection is effective at preventing pregnancy, it does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Fortunately, using condoms every time you have sex significantly reduces your risk of contracting or transmitting STDs. The second nice thing about condoms is that they also prevent pregnancy, so using condoms in conjunction with the injection offers you excellent pregnancy-prevention results.
How do I make the shot work best for me?
You must remember to receive a fresh shot every 12-13 weeks to get the full birth control benefits of the shot. That’s roughly every three months, or four times each year. The injection is usually administered by a doctor or a nurse. So you’ll need to schedule an appointment with a health facility and then remember to show up. However, you may be able to obtain a supply of injections from the health facility to go home and administer yourself. You may use our birth control app to keep track of when your next shot is due, as well as any other scheduled shot appointments.
You can begin using the birth control injection at any time. You’ll be protected from pregnancy straight away if you get your first shot during the first seven days after your period begins. You must use another type of birth control (such as a condom) for the first week after having the injection if you obtain it at any other point in your cycle.
It’s all about knowing when to take your follow-up photos after you’ve taken your initial one. Here are some pointers to help you remain on top of things:
Set an alarm on your phone or use our birth control reminder app.
It may be added to any calendar you use on a daily basis.
Remind yourself by asking friends, relatives, or your spouse.
Bottom line: do whatever it takes to ensure that you get your follow-up shots every 12-13 weeks.
If you miss your shot by more than two weeks, your doctor or nurse may urge you to take a pregnancy test or advise you to use emergency contraception if you’ve had vaginal intercourse within the preceding 120 hours (five days).
Want to go above and above to ensure you don’t become pregnant by accident? When having vaginal intercourse, use a condom as well. Because condoms are the only method to protect oneself from STDs, using the shot in conjunction with condoms is the best option.
Things to consider
Depo-Provera should be used for no more than two years due to an increased risk of osteoporosis. Increase your bone density by eating meals high in vitamin D and calcium. If you start using Depo-Provera before the age of 35, you may raise your risk of breast cancer.
Depo-Provera can be used by nursing women. If you’re pregnant, attempting to get pregnant or have any of the following conditions, you shouldn’t use it.
High blood pressure is uncontrollable.
The ailment of the heart, kidneys, or liver.
Breast cancer is a disease that affects women.
Having had a heart attack or stroke in the past.
Vaginal bleeding that isn’t known.
An allergic reaction to the medication Depo-Provera.
If you get your Depo-Provera doses on schedule, you can avoid getting pregnant. The success rate is greater than 95%. It’s just as effective as a tubal ligation (when your “tubes” are tied). Other types of birth control, such as diaphragms, condoms, and tablets, have a lower success rate. Depo-Provera is not a sexually transmitted disease preventative (STDs). To avoid contracting an STD, you and/or your partner should continue to use condoms.
Path to improved health
Depo-Provera is only effective for around three months at a time. You must have one injection from your doctor four times a year, around 12 to 14 weeks apart, to prevent conception. It works straight away if you obtain it within the first seven days of your cycle. If you don’t, you’ll have to switch to another method of birth control for one week. Before giving you the injection, your doctor will check that you are not pregnant.
The majority of women who use Depo-Provera see changes in their menstrual cycles. These may include the following:
Between menstrual cycles, there is bleeding or spotting.
Menstrual bleeding that has increased or decreased.
There has been no menstrual bleeding at all.
After a year, around half of women who use Depo-Provera cease having periods. This isn’t dangerous. When you stop using Depo-Provera, your menstrual bleeding typically returns to normal. After your final injection, it may take 9 to 10 months to become pregnant.
If you’re experiencing very heavy or continuous bleeding, see your doctor immediately away. Depo-Provera may also cause the following adverse effects:
headaches caused by weight gain
abdominal pain jitteriness
dizziness, tiredness, or weakness
osteoporosis is a disease that affects the bones (loss of bone density)
clots in the blood
the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy (when a pregnancy is located outside of the uterus)
