How Do I Know if Depo-Provera Is Working?

Nowadays, medicine offers a whole bunch of various birth control methods of different types. Starting with barrier contraceptives (like condoms or cervical caps) and ending with hormonal ones (like pills or vaginal rings), you can choose the most convenient way of preventing unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.

This article will provide you with a detailed overview of the Depo-Provera birth control shot, which is an effective method to prevent accidental pregnancy. So, keep reading and figure out what is Depo-Provera, how does it work, and is Depo shot a reliable birth control procedure.

What Is Depo-Provera?

So, what exactly is Depo-Provera? In simple words, it is a brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), which is a hormonal preparation used for contraceptive injections.

What Benefits and Drawbacks Depo-Provera Has?

Being an advanced method to prevent pregnancy, Depo-Provera has several benefits, namely:

• An extremely effective form of birth control;
• No need to use an additional backup birth control method;
• Long-lasting effect (you would need to receive Depo-Provera contraceptive injection once in three months only);
• Strong privacy of Depo-Provera usage, mainly due to the absence of wrappers and pill compacts;
• Etc.

On contrary, there is a couple of drawbacks when it comes to using Depo-Provera:

• Depo-Provera has no effect when it comes to disease control. Thus, it won’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections;
• You might need a couple of months after your last shot of Depo-Provera before you begin ovulating again. So, when planning a pregnancy, think of stopping Depo-Provera a couple of months ahead.

Taking all the above-mentioned benefits and drawbacks into account, Depo-Provera injections are convenient ways of planned parenthood.

Does Depo-Provera Have Any Side Effects?

Before figuring out whether Depo-Provera has any side effects, keep in mind one thing: To start Depo-Provera, it is recommended to have a general medical check-up beforehand. The main reason for that is that any risk factors for using Depo-Provera might lead to serious health problems. For example, patients who suffer from liver disease or uncontrolled high blood pressure might experience dangerous side-effects such as ectopic pregnancy when using the preparation and, thus, would need professional medical advice before starting its usage.

So, only after being medically reviewed, you might receive your first shot of the preparation. Here is the list of aftereffects you might expect while using Depo-Provera:

• Uneven schedule of your menstrual cycle or the absence thereof;
• General nervousness that leads to depression in rare cases;
• A decreased libido;
• Hormonal changes that might lead to weight gain, hair loss, or growth;
• Weakness, dizziness, or fatigue;
• An allergic reaction;
• A decreased bone destiny that, however, might be normalized by taking Calcium and Vitamin D;
• Etc.

However, don’t get overwhelmed with the above-mentioned side effects, as most women who use Depo-Provera claim to experience irregular menstrual periods as the only body reaction to the preparation. In case of noticing any severe aftereffects, stop using Depo-Provera right away.

How Does Depo-Provera Work?

The working principle of Depo-Provera is quite straightforward. After being injected, the preparation affects your ovaries and prevents them from releasing the eggs, which makes it impossible to get pregnant.

Depo-Provera shot also has a hormonal impact on your cervical mucus. It makes it thicker and, thus, prevents the sperm from getting through it and fertilizing the egg even in case it was released by your ovaries. This way, each next shot of the preparation will help you in managing birth control.

How Long Does It Take for Depo to Kick In?

The preparation is a fast-acting birth control shot, as it starts to protect you against unwanted pregnancy. However, the main precondition here is to get an injection in up to 7 days of your period. Even in case you gave birth not long ago and are currently breastfeeding, you should get your shot no more than 7 days after giving birth.

How Do I Know if the Depo Shot Is Working?

The best way to know whether the preparation is working is to do a pregnancy test before each new injection. This way, you’ll be sure that it is an effective birth control shot in your particular case.

Is Depo-Provera Shot a Reliable Birth Control Method?

The reliability of a Depo shot in birth control depends on a couple of factors, including the regularity of your shots and the quality of the injected preparation.

If you get it with a strict frequency of every 3 months, it will provide you with 99% of effectiveness. However, if you are not that regular with your injections, the effectiveness of the preparation drops to 94%.

Speaking about the quality of the preparation, it’s strongly recommended to order it from reliable medical suppliers to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

So, Depo-Provera is extremely effective when regularly injected and safely ordered.

Can You Get Pregnant While on Depo Shot?

No method of contraception might give you absolute protection from getting pregnant. Even the 99% effectiveness of this birth control shot still leaves a tiny 1% possibility of getting pregnant after a Depo shot.

How Do you Know if You’re Pregnant on Depo?

There are several symptoms that might indicate a potential pregnancy while being on Depo. They include:

• Sudden mood swings;
• Insubstantial bleeding or spotting caused by the implantation of the fertilized egg;
• Increased sensitivity of your breasts;
• Such disorders as nausea or food aversion;
• General tiredness, drowsiness, and fatigue;
• Etc.

However, just in case you have noticed any of the above-mentioned symptoms while being on Depo, do not start panicking right away. They are not the absolute indicators that you are pregnant and might be caused by a number of other reasons. Therefore, the recommendation for you would be to do a pregnancy test before making any assumptions.

To Sum Up

All in all, Depo-Provera is an effective and medically reviewed injectable form of preventing pregnancy. As with any other method, it has a couple of benefits and drawbacks.

So, only after trying it on your own, you’ll be able to define whether it’s convenient birth control in your particular situation.