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Depo-Provera is the brand name for medroxyprogesterone shots, a form of hormonal birth control. The hormone in the birth control shot is similar to progesterone, a hormone produced by your ovaries during the last two weeks of your menstrual cycle. The birth control shot suppresses ovulation -- the ripening and release of an egg from your ovary. If no egg is released, pregnancy cannot occur. Medroxyprogesterone also thickens the mucus of your cervix, the opening to your uterus. The thick mucus makes it difficult for sperm to enter your uterus.
TIMING
To get maximum protection from the birth control shot, you must visit your health care provider every three months for an injection. The shot is given in your buttocks or upper arm. You must have your first injection within five days of the beginning of your menstrual cycle to ensure that you are not pregnant.
EFFECTIVENESS
Medroxyprogesterone shots are highly effective at preventing pregnancy. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that this method of birth control is more effective than the pill, condoms or a diaphragm. The risk of pregnancy in the first year of using the birth control shot is less than 1 percent. This means that among women who use only birth control shots for contraception, less than one out of every 100 will become pregnant in the first year. However, you must get a shot every three months to ensure continued protection against pregnancy.
OTHER BENEFITS
Many women taking birth control shots have lighter periods and fewer menstrual cramps. Birth control shots do not contain estrogen, which makes this a good contraceptive choice for women who are breast-feeding. If you have trouble remembering to take a birth control pill every day, the birth control shot may be a good choice for you. Unlike the pill, medroxyprogesterone shots are effective immediately; there is no waiting period.
STDs
Medroxyprogesterone shots will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. Safer sex practice means you should use a condom along with the birth control shot if you are at risk of contracting any STDs, including but not limited to HIV.
SIDE EFFECTS
Like any medication, medroxyprogesterone injections can cause side effects. Loss of calcium and other minerals from your bones is a common side effect of the birth control shot; this side effect may not be reversible. Because of the risk of bone weakening, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends using medroxyprogesterone shots for no longer than two years, unless you have no other adequate contraceptive options.
Irregular periods are another common side effect of birth control shots. After one year of use, roughly half of women on birth control shots stop having periods. This is not harmful to you but may make you concerned about possible pregnancy. If you are taking your shots on schedule, pregnancy is highly unlikely. However, if you suspect you may be pregnant, take a pregnancy test. Other side effects that may occur with birth control shots include weight gain, breast tenderness, depression, hot flashes, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, hair loss and changes in your sex drive.
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience chest pain, heavy vaginal bleeding, a bloody cough, numbness of the arms or legs, calf pain, severe dizziness, a severe headache, yellowing of the skin or severe pain in your abdomen. These symptoms may signal a dangerous side effect of the shot; call your doctor right away.
