Depo-Provera - Injection Birth Control
Depo-Provera is an injection form of birth control administered every three months at a doctor's office. This makes it a very discreet method of birth control, and the only hassle you have is scheduling your next dose, while making sure never to exceed more than 13 weeks between them.
The shot is more effective than the birth control pill and condom use, at 99.7% effective against pregnancy, however, like all other birth control methods except the condom, it does not protect against sexually transmitted disease.
The shot works by preventing ovulation all together, so your ovaries are in a period of rest, meaning that because no egg was released, then there is no egg to fertilize, and no lining to be released in the form of a menstrual period. One of the benefits of the shot is that over time your periods will decrease to light spotting, and may even stop all together.
People planning to get pregnant within the next year, as it can take some time for ovulation to return to normal after stopping the injection should not use the shot. If a woman plans to use this form of birth control for more than two years, it should be discussed with her doctor, as calcium deficiency has become a new concern.
The side effects of weight gain that are present in any form of hormonal birth control seem to be a bit more prevalent here, as many women I know who have taken the injection rapidly gained weight during the few months after the first injection. It also appears that the longer the woman stayed on the injection, the harder the weight was to lose. Mind you, my group of friends is by no means a clinical study, but there is definitely a pattern there.
So, if you are looking for a method of birth control, be sure to check out my other articles on the topic, and hopefully with all of the information I have presented to you, you can make the right choice for you.
Published by Lucinda Watrous
I am a 25 year old WAHM with a six year old son. Thanks to AC, I am now working full time as a freelance writer, and enjoying being able to support my family of three. View profile
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