Depo-Provera®

• ​Contraceptive shot you get every 3 months, only 4 times a year
  
• Injected in the upper arm, out of view
  
• When used perfectly, 99% effective, 94% in real-time
  
• If you want to become pregnant, you can stop the injection
  

How It Works

• The Depo shot contains the hormone progestin, which can keep you from getting pregnant by temporarily stopping ovulation. It also thickens your cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to travel
  
• You will be seen by your clinical provider up to 4 times a year for the shot

Advantages

• Discreet, you get the injection privately at your provider’s office
  
• More convenient than remembering the pill
  
• Easy to stop if you decide it’s not right for you
  
• The shot can potentially make your periods lighter
  

Disadvantages

• You have to remember to get the shot at the right time, every 12-13 weeks, if you don’t want gaps in your birth control coverage
• Must be seen by a clinic to have the shot administered
• Slower return to fertility (up to one year)
  
• Does not prevent against STI’s or HIV
• Possibly irregularity in periods