Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera is a hormone injection that lasts for three months to prevent pregnancy. The injection contains synthetic progesterone and no estrogen. It is usually given in the arm or buttocks, delivering a high level of progesterone into the body. Depo-Provera stops the ovaries from releasing eggs. It causes the cervical mucus to thicken and changes the uterine lining, making it harder for sperm to enter or survive in the uterus. These changes prevent fertilization.

Depo-Provera is a very private form of birth control because it cannot be seen on the body and requires no home supplies. It does, however, require a clinic appointment every three months. Depo-Provera is 97 to 99.7 percent effective as birth control. It does not protect against reproductive tract infections, including HIV/AIDS. There are some serious health risks with Depo-Provera, so women interested in using Depo-Provera should get all the facts in advance.
Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection is the brand name for a 150 mg aqueous suspension of medroxyprogesterone acetate for intramuscular injection, manufactured by Pfizer.