What to Do If You Miss Your Next Depo Provera Injection

The Depo Provera injection is a very effective form of hormonal birth control. It is most effective at preventing pregnancy if it is administered on time every 3 months. That is why it is important to keep each appointment and not miss a dose. But what should you do if you miss your next appointment? This article will look at your options.

Towards the end of the 3 month period, you will be given a 2 week window that is intended to be used for your next Depo Provera injection. That time frame is when you should aim to book your next injection. But if you forget to book an appointment and you are now outside that 2 week window, you risk pregnancy, as the dose you received 3 months ago will have worn off.

As soon as you discover that you have missed your next Depo Provera injection, you must take action. The first thing to keep in mind is to not panic. Stay calm and then call your doctor and ask for advice. If possible, arrange an appointment so that you can receive an examination as soon as possible.

The doctor will want to ask you questions about when your last Depo Provera injection was and he or she may also wish to do a pregnancy test to make sure you are not pregnant. If you are pregnant, you will obviously not be able to receive your next Depo Provera injection. Studies have shown that women who were pregnant but unaware of their condition placed their unborn babies in danger by having subsequent Depo Provera injections, such as a higher rate of miscarriage and birth defects.

Another thing you should do after you find out that you are no longer protected by your last Depo Provera injection is to use a back up method of birth control, such as condoms, or to abstain from sexual contact altogether until you receive your next Depo Provera injection.

For future reference, it is a good idea to mark on your calendar when you are due for your next Depo Provera injection so that you do not miss your next appointment. The calendar should be one that is used on a regular basis, so that you can look at it and see what you need to do on any given day. Also, carrying around a personal organiser or pocket sized diary with your next Depo Provera injection date can help to remind you of the date of your next appointment.