1-888-40 DR AVA

Question: I’m a 20-something woman considering “the Shot” (Depo-Provera) as a birth control method.  It’s an intriguing form of contraception and I love the idea of only needing to get a shot every few months, but I’m a little leery of the fact that it makes you stop menstruating.  That just doesn’t sound… um… healthy.  Are there any health risks associated with suddenly halting your menstrual cycle?

Answer: You don’t need to worry about not menstruating because Depo-Provera works by keeping your ovaries in a "resting" condition so that your eggs cannot be released.  Without eggs, sperm can’t fertilize, and pregnancy isn’t possible.  Each Depo-Provera injection blocks ovulation (egg release) for 3 months which means they don’t need to be flushed away by menstruation.  We never really know the side effects of any drug until it’s been around for several generations.  However, Depo-Provera does not contain any estrogen, only progestin, and studies show there is little to no risk of long-term health risks such as cancer.  Some women do suffer from intermittent bleeding, while others complain they put on weight.  My concern is that once you stop getting the injections because you want to get pregnant, there is no predictable time frame for when your fertility will be back to its normal cycle.  Since you’re in your early twenties, you are an excellent candidate for Depo-Provera, but still need to consider the pros and cons for you personally.  I hope this helps. And if you are still on the look-out for that one amazing person that you know you’d like to spend your life with, why not treat yourself to my video,The Power of Seduction , so that when you find him he’ll be yours.