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Birth Control Hormones: The Shot

Table of Contents


Overview

The shot is used to prevent pregnancy. You get the shot in your upper arm or rear end (buttocks). The shot gives you a dose of the hormone progestin. The shot is often called by its brand name, Depo-Provera.

Progestin prevents pregnancy in these ways: It thickens the mucus in the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to travel into the uterus. It also thins the lining of the uterus, which makes it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus. Progestin can sometimes stop the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation).

The shot provides birth control for 3 months at a time. You then need another shot.

The shot may cause bone loss. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

How well does it work?

When the shot is used exactly as directed, it is more than 99% effective for preventing pregnancy. That means that fewer than 1 out of 100 people who use it will have an unplanned pregnancy. But when the shot is not used exactly as directed, it is about 94% effective. This means that about 6 out of 100 people who use it will have an unplanned pregnancy.1

Be sure to tell your doctor about any health problems you have or medicines you take. The doctor can help you choose the birth control method that is right for you.

What are the advantages of using the birth control shot?

What are the disadvantages of using the birth control shot?


References

Citations

  1. Trussell J (2011). Contraceptive failure in the United States. Contraception, 83(5): 397–404. DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2011.01.021. Accessed December 8, 2022.

Credits for Birth Control Hormones: The Shot

Current as of: November 27, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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