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Depo Provera and Pregnancy
The information below will help you determine if Depo Provera exposure during
pregnancy represents an increased fetal risk. With every pregnancy, all women have a 3
to 5 percent chance to have a baby with a birth defect.
What is Depo Provera?
not change the internal reproductive organs
or sexual behavior and are felt to occur
Depo Provera is a synthetic hormone
infrequently (less than 1% of the time).
similar to the female hormone progesterone.
The majority of studies have not
Another name for Depo Provera is
found an association between non-genital
medroxyprogesterone.
birth defects after Depo Provera exposure
Depo Provera contraceptive injection
during the first trimester. In addition,
is effective for preventing pregnancy for
children exposed to Depo Provera during
approximately 90 days but may be found in
pregnancy or breastfeeding did not show
the bloodstream longer. It is recommended
adverse effects on their long-term health or
that women receive a shot every 90 days to
development, including sexual maturity.
prevent pregnancy. Depo Provera is not the
same as oral birth control pills which
Are there any other problems Depo Provera
contain other hormones.
can cause?
Depo Provera can also be used to
treat menstrual disorders and, at high doses,
One study found that babies born to
can be used to treat certain types of cancer.
mothers who received their last Depo
This fact sheet is written specifically for the
Provera shot within four weeks of getting
contraceptive Depo Provera injection.
pregnant were a little more likely to have
lower birth weight babies than those born to
How does it work?
mothers who had unplanned pregnancies for
other reasons. Other studies of mothers on
Depo Provera acts to prevent
Depo Provera have not supported this
pregnancy by stopping the release of the egg
association. Further studies are needed to
during a woman's monthly cycle. If a
determine if there is an increased risk for
woman does not release an egg during her
lower birth weight if you become pregnant
monthly cycle, she can not become
when using Depo Provera for contraception.
pregnant.
What are the effects on my baby if I was
I got pregnant within three months of my
already pregnant when I received my Depo
Depo shot; will my baby be more likely to
shot?
have birth defects?
No studies have shown an increase in
High doses of the hormone in Depo
birth defects or long term health issues from
Provera and other synthetic hormones have
use of Depo Provera during pregnancy. In
been associated with ambiguous genitalia in
addition, there is no indication that Depo
animal and human studies. These effects do
Provera causes an increase in pregnancy loss

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or miscarriage. However, when you know
References
you are pregnant you should not continue
getting the Depo Provera injections.
Dahlberg K. 1982. Some effects of depot-
medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA):
Are there any effects if I use Depo Provera
Observations in the nursing infant and in the
while breastfeeding?
long-term user. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 20: 43-
48.
One study found that the amount of
Hale T. Medications and Mothers' Milk, 2002.
prolactin, the hormone necessary for
Texas: Parmasoft Medical Publishing.
breastmilk production, is slightly increased
in women using Depo Provera. Based on
Jaffe B, et al. 1990. Health, growth and sexual
this, it is unlikely that Depo Provera will
development of teenagers exposed in utero to
decrease the amount of breastmilk produced.
medroxyprogesterone acetate. Paediatr Perinat
If, however, a woman is going to use Depo
Epidemiol 4: 184-95.
Provera, the World Health Organization has
recommended waiting 6 weeks after the
Jimenez J, et al. 1984. Long-term follow-up of
baby's birth to ensure that an adequate milk
children breast-fed by mothers receiving depot-
medroxyprogesterone acetate. Contraception
supply has been established.
30: 523-533.
In women using Depo Provera
during breastfeeding the amount of hormone
Koetsawang S, et al. 1982. Transfer of
found in the breastmilk is small. Many
contraceptive steroids in milk of women using
studies have shown that the hormone in
long-acting gestagens. Contraception 25: 321-
breastmilk appears to have no effect on the
331.
baby's long term growth and development.
The use of Depo Provera has been approved
Pardthaisong T. et al. 1992. The long-term
by the American Academy of Pediatrics for
growth and development of children exposed to
use in breastfeeding mothers.
Depo-Provera during pregnancy or lactation.
Contraception 45: 313-24.
Pardthaisong T, Gray RH. 1991. In utero
exposure to steroid contraceptives and outcome
July 2003.
of pregnancy. Am J Epidemiol 134: 795-803.
Copyright by OTIS.
Reproduced by permission.
Ratchanon S, Taneepanichskul S. 2000. Depot
medroxyprogesterone acetate and basal serum
prolactin levels in lactating women. Obstetrics &
Gynecology 96(6):926-8.
Saxena BN, et al. 1977. Levels of
contraceptive steroids in breast milk and plasma
of lactating women. Contraception 16: 605-613.
Virutamasen P, et al. 1996. Pharmacodynamic
effects of depot-lprogesterone acetate (DMPA)
administered to lactating women on their male
infants. Contraception 54: 153-157.
Yovich JL, et al. 1988. Medroxyprogesterone
acetate therapy in early pregnancy has no
apparent fetal effects. Teratology 38: 135-144.

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