Depo-Provera

Thromboembolic Disorders

The physician should be alert to the earliest manifestations of thrombotic disorder (thrombophlebitis, cerebrovascular disorder, pulmonary embolism, and retinal thrombosis). Should any of these occur or be suspected, the drug should be discontinued immediately.

Ocular Disorders

Medication should be discontinued pending examination if there is a sudden partial or complete loss of vision, or if there is a sudden onset of proptosis, diplopia or migraine. If examination reveals papilledema or retinal vascular lesions, medication should be withdrawn.

Multi-Dose Use

Multi-dose use of DEPO-PROVERA Sterile Aqueous Suspension from a single vial requires special care to avoid contamination. Although initially sterile, any multi-dose use of vials may lead to contamination unless strict aseptic technique is observed.

Depo-Provera is a prescription hormone medication used to prevent pregnancy. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Depo-Provera is part of the drug class:

• Pregnen 4 derivatives

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• medicine to help you sleep
• bosentan
• medicine for seizures
• griseofulvin
• an antibiotic
• medicine for HIV (AIDS)
• St. John's wort

This is not a complete list of Depo-Provera drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding. 

Although Depo-Provera can be passed to the nursing baby in the breast milk, no harmful effects on babies have been found. Depo-Provera does not stop the breasts from producing milk, so it can be used by nursing mothers. However, to minimize the amount of Depo-Provera that is passed to the baby in the first weeks after birth, you should wait until your baby is 6 weeks old before you start using Depo-Provera for birth control.

Depo-Provera is given by your healthcare provider as a shot into your muscle (intramuscular injection). The shot is given in your buttock or upper arm 1 time every 3 months.

Depo-Provera is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention. 

Warning: Loss of Bone Mineral Density

Women who use Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection may lose significant bone mineral density. Bone loss is greater with increasing duration of use and may not be completely reversible.

It is unknown if use of Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection during adolescence or early adulthood, a critical period of bone accretion, will reduce peak bone mass and increase the risk for osteoporotic fracture in later life.

Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection should not be used as a long-term birth control method (i.e., longer than 2 years) unless other birth control methods are considered inadequate

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of this medication.

In the U.S.

• Depo-Provera
• Depo-Provera Contraceptive

Available Dosage Forms:

• Injectable
• Suspension

Therapeutic Class: Antineoplastic Agent

Pharmacologic Class: Medroxyprogesterone