Women
Birth Control
There are a number of methods available to help prevent pregnancy. Deciding which method is right for you involves considering a number of issues, including convenience, cost, potential side effects, and future pregnancy plans.
Hormonal methods of birth control (contraception) contain female hormones as a combination of estrogen and progestin, or as progestin only. They are a safe and reliable way to prevent pregnancy for most women and include an implant, an intrauterine device (IUD), injections, pills, a vaginal ring, and a skin patch. An IUD (or coil), is a small, often T-shaped, birth control device that is inserted into a woman's uterus to prevent pregnancy.
It can be difficult to decide which birth control method is best, due to the variety of options available. The best method is one that will be used consistently and does not cause bothersome side effects. Other factors to consider include:
You should also think about whether you are comfortable remembering to take a pill every day, whether you want to involve your partner in the decision, and whether and when you might want to get pregnant in the future. As no birth control is perfect, you must balance the advantages and disadvantages of the different options and decide which method is best for you.
This article focuses on the birth control shot option and discusses what you need to know about it.
The birth control shot is an injection provided every 3 months in the upper arm or buttock, to help prevent pregnancy. It contains a long-acting form of the female hormone progestin, that plays a role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Hormones are chemicals that control how different parts of your body work. The shot prevents pregnancy by keeping the ovaries from releasing eggs. It also causes cervical mucus to thicken and the lining of the uterus to thin. This keeps sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg.
The birth control shot must be prescribed and is given every 3 months in a doctor's office or family planning clinic. However, not all of the birth control shot options are available in the United States. In fact, the only birth control shot that you can get in the US is the Depo-Provera injection.
The Depo-Provera birth control shot is also known as the Depo shot or DMPA (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate). It is injected deep into a muscle, such as in the buttock or upper arm, or under the skin. The injection is given every three months and delivers progestin in the form of medroxyprogesterone, a female hormone that helps regulate ovulation (the release of an egg from an ovary) and menstrual periods.
In order to insure continuous pregnancy protection, you must get your Depo shot every three months. There are two versions available, the Depo-Provera shot and the newer version, Depo-subQ Provera. It is recommended that you discuss which one is best for you with your doctor.
If you get your first dose of DMPA during the first seven days of your menstrual period, it prevents pregnancy immediately. If you get your first dose after the seventh day of your period, you should use a second form of birth control (eg, condoms) for seven days.
Depo-Provera is very effective at preventing pregnancy, with a pregnancy failure rate of less than 1 percent when repeat injections are given on time. It has also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help treat a condition known as endometriosis; where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus or womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
The shot works by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg during the monthly cycle). without ovulation, pregnancy is not possible, as there is no egg to fertilize.
Progestin will thicken the mucus around the cervix (a cylinder-shaped neck of tissue that connects the vagina and uterus). This makes it hard for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. Progestin also thins the lining of the uterus so that an egg will have a hard time attaching to it.
The Depo-Provera shot is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. Over the course of a year, about 6 out of 100 typical couples who use the birth control shot will have an accidental pregnancy. The chance of getting pregnant increases if more than 3 months elapses between shots.
In general, how well each type of birth control method works depends on a lot of things. These include whether a person has any health conditions or is taking any medicines that might affect its use. It also depends on whether the method is convenient and whether the person remembers to use it correctly all of the time.
Side effect associated with the birth control shot include the following:
Changes to your menstrual cycle are the most common side effect. You may have irregular bleeding or spotting. After a year of use, about 50% of women will stop getting their periods. If this happens to you, your period should come back when you stop getting the shots.
Long-term use of Depo-Provera may lead to loss of bone mineral density (the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue), which makes you more likely to get osteoporosis (a condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break). Your chances are even higher if you have taken the shot for longer than 2 years, especially if the condition runs in your family, if you drink a lot of alcohol, smoke or have other risk factors.
The FDA has issued a safety warning about the use of the Depo-Provera birth control shot. Studies link this shot to a loss of bone density in women, although bone density may recover when a woman is no longer getting the shot.
Doctors are not sure how this type of shot may affect the bone density of teenage girls. Girls who are considering the shot should talk to their doctor, and make sure that they get enough calcium each day. Those who smoke should be sure to let their doctors know, because smoking may increase the risk of bone density loss.
Women may notice a decrease in fertility for up to a year after they stop getting the birth control shot. However, the shot does not cause permanent loss of fertility and most women can get pregnant soon after they stop.
Women, girls and nursing mothers who have trouble remembering to take birth control pills and who want extremely good protection against pregnancy, may want to use the birth control shot. However, not all women and girls can or should use the birth control shot. Some medical conditions make the use of the shot less effective or more risky. It is important to provide a complete medical history to your doctor and discuss any health concerns before starting birth control.
The birth control shot is not suitable with the following preexisting conditions:
Your doctor will be cautious about giving it to you if you are a teenager, or if you have:
A birth control shot for men may eventually become available, but researchers are still struggling to improve its effectiveness and deal with side effects which can be severe. Clinical trial are ongoing.
No, the birth control shot does not protect against STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). In fact, some studies show that the birth control shot may possibly increase the risk of getting certain STDs, although scientists do not understand why. Couples having sex must always use condoms along with the shot to protect against STDs.
Each injection (3 months' worth of birth control) can cost up to $150. Many health insurance plans cover the cost of birth control shots and doctor's visit. Family planning clinics, such as Planned Parenthood may charge less.
If you use the birth control shot, call your doctor if you:
The birth control shot is a prescribed injection given every 3 months and one of a number of methods available to help prevent pregnancy. The only birth control shot available in the US is the Depo-Provera injection. The shot is effective in preventing pregnancy, but also known to cause serious side effects, including loss of bone density. It is therefore essential to discuss the side effects and your suitability for the birth control shot with your doctor, before deciding whether or not the shot is right for you.
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