DEPO-PROVERA
Description
A hormonal injection administered every three months to prevent
pregnancy.
Even though its use is generally approved by Health Canada’s Health
Protection Branch, it is not specifically approved for contraceptive
purposes. However, contraception experts consider this injection to be a
safe and effective method for many women. This birth control method has
been in use for approximately 30 years in dozens of countries.
How does it work?
Depo-Provera prevents your ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
It also makes the mucus found in the cervix (opening of the uterus)
thicker, thus more impermeable to spermatozoids. Since hormone levels
are stable, the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) remains thin
and menstrual bleeding may become lighter, occasional and often
inexistent.
Who can use the injection?
Some women cannot rely on the pill because it
causes nausea, because they forget to take their tablet or simply
because they do not like taking pills. Other women, in considering all
available birth control methods, cannot find one with which they feel
comfortable. Those women could consider using the injection. It contains
only progestin and no estrogen: estrogen is still naturally produced by
the ovaries. This birth control method may be considered by women who
have health problems requiring they avoid estrogen, such as...
How effective is the
injection?
The injection (150 mg) is more than 99.9% effective, when
administered every three months. It is recommended to receive the first
injection during or immediately after menstruation. If the first
injection is administered at another time, the doctor must make sure the
woman is not pregnant and a back-up birth control method (e.g. condoms)
must be used for seven days following the injection.
- Can the injection be used immediately after giving birth?
Yes, the injection is safe for women who have just given birth. It
may also be used safely by women who breastfeed.
Can problems occur after
receiving the injection?
-
Most women will experience irregular periods
after receiving the injection. Some women will have intermittent
light bleeding. Some women will bleed often, while others will never
bleed. Usually, the frequency of bleeding decreases with time, but
it remains unpredictable. One must remember that this is normal when
using this method. You must not worry about becoming pregnant if no
bleeding occurs. On the other hand, if you experience abnormal
bleeding (e.g. post-coitus bleeding), you should consider possible
causes (such as STDs, etc.) and consult with your doctor.
-
If you decide to have a child after receiving
one or more injections: most women can become pregnant relatively
quickly (in fact, the injection is not considered to be reliable
three months after it has been administered). However, pregnancy may
only happen one or two years after the last injection.
-
This method may also cause some inconveniences
similar to those of oral contraceptives: weight gain from 1 to 3 kg,
headaches, dizziness, sensation of abdominal bloating and mood
changes. It may then be necessary to modify the dosage or to discard
this method.
-
As
with oral contraceptives, this method has some health benefits such
as decreasing the risks of anaemia and fallopian tube infections.
Research has also shown that, as with the pill, this method protects
against some types of cancer and endometriosis.
Who
should not use the injection?
-
Women who may be pregnant.
-
Women who could not tolerate irregular bleeding
or no bleeding at all.
-
Women who plan to become pregnant in the next
year or two.
-
Women who cannot receive the
injection every three months. The injection may not be available
everywhere. If it cannot be administered at the scheduled
time, it is preferable to receive the injection sooner than later.
Link to the manufacturer
Pfizer canada
Service aide-mémoire =1-888-671-depo (3376)
Info général = 1-800-463-6001
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