Getting to Know Depo Provera

Depo Provera is a woman's birth control method. It is a progestin-only contraceptive injection that given four times a year. Depo Provera does not contain estrogen, so it is safe for women how can't take birth control pills with estrogen. The Depo shot is safe if you have recently given birth and if you are breastfeeding.

According to WebMD, the Depo shot is immediately effective as long as you get it within five days of the start of your period. It lasts for at least three months, and you need to get another shot every 12 weeks. How worry free does that sound ladies? No more worrying about organizing your pills and taking them on time!

What Does Depo Provera Do To My Body?

The Depo Provera injection keeps your ovaries in a dormant state. You will get the shot once every three months, which results in no ovulation. Since your ovaries are not releasing any eggs, this means that you will not be able to pregnant. Depo Provera also decreases your menstrual bleeding and can even stop it too. Usually, your uterine lining gets thicker in anticipation of a fertilized egg. If there is no fertilized egg, then the lining sheds which results in your period. Depo Provera helps stop the growth of the lining. Without a thick uterine lining, pregnancy cannot take hold, and the shot acts as a contraceptive

What Are the Chances Of Getting Pregnant While On Depo Provera

Depo is one of the most reliable forms of birth control available and has a failure rate of less than 1%. Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof. Three women out of every 1000 will still end up pregnant while using Depo as their birth control of choice. 

Depo Provera and Pregnancy Tests

Some of the side effects of Depo Provera can mimic the symptoms of early pregnancy. Side effects you may experience include loss of your period, weight gain, dizziness, changes in appetite, and more. These symptoms can lead women to think they may be pregnant. While the symptoms may point to being pregnant, the pregnancy test will likely be negative. The ingredients in the depo shot do not interfere with the pregnancy test's ability to detect pregnancy accurately. If your pregnancy test shows a negative result, then you are not pregnant. If by some chance, you do get a positive pregnancy test, you should contact your doctor. A positive result would mean you are pregnant. It shouldn't happen, but three women out of 1000 do get pregnant while using Depo when they get their shots on time.

Getting Pregnant After Depo Provera

If you have been on Depo and want to conceive, it may take a while for your body to get back into “baby-making shape.” Your hormones will be out of whack for quite a while. Due to the hormones in the Depo Provera shot, your body believed it was pregnant. Your body stopped producing the hormones that trigger ovulation. It is going to take a while for your body to adjust and reset itself.

Studies have shown that it can take up to two years for your system to be free of Depo’s effects. Many women get very discouraged with how long it takes them to get pregnant after stopping Depo. One of the main problems is how long it takes for their periods to return to normal. Without regular periods and ovulation, you can’t get pregnant. If if you used Depo-Provera, you might have to have patience with the getting pregnant process. You will most likely conceive between four to ten months after your last Depo shot runs out.

Due to how Depo Provera works, many women experience a complete loss of their periods for many years. Having no period can be upsetting and frustrating, especially if you are trying to get pregnant. Without a regular period, it can be tricky trying to figure out exactly when you ovulate. Knowing when you ovulate is vital when you want to get pregnant. If you have come off Depo Provera, you should be aware that it could be quite a while before your body returns to normal.

 

Helping Your Body Regain Fertile Hormonal Balance

Depo is hard on your reproductive system. It is VERY good at its job, preventing pregnancy, and it doesn’t release it holds very quickly. Many women find that their system takes much longer to return to normal than expected. Fertile hormone balance will return on its own, eventually. If you want to be pregnant NOW though, “eventually” just won’t cut it. You can encourage the return of your fertile hormone balance by adding a couple of supplements to your daily routine.

A fertility cleanse will help you clear the old synthetic hormones out. It will allow your fertility-friendly hormone balance to return more quickly. Your period will return when your hormones are more balanced. Having a period usually also means that ovulation is back too! Both FertileDetox and Pre-Conception Fertility Tea work gently to restore fertile hormone balance.

Vitex is another supplement that you might want to consider. Vitex works to balance hormone, restore menstruation, and encourage regular ovulation. You need to take Vitex regularly to get the full fertility boosting benefits.

How Long Will It Take To Get Pregnant After Stopping Depo Provera?

Once you have received a Depo Provera injection, you can not remove the chemicals from your system. You will have to deal with any side effects as best as you can. Studies have shown that it usually takes, after the last shot has been given, around four to ten months before you can try to get pregnant again. After roughly two years of being Depo Provera-free, your body should revert to how it was before you started on this birth control.

You can try to jump-start your system back into reproductive wellness by taking fertility supplements, like FertilAid for Women, to help get your hormones back on track and your reproductive system working as it should. Once your hormones are back on track, and you are ovulating regularly again, your chances of getting pregnant will increase.




Resources:
Denniston GC. Depo-Provera highly effective as injectable contraceptive. Contracept Technol Update. 1985 Dec;6(12):167-8. PubMed PMID: 12280301.

Petta CA, Faúndes A, Dunson TR, Ramos M, DeLucio M, Faúndes D, Bahamondes L. Timing of onset of contraceptive effectiveness in Depo-Provera users. II. Effects on ovarian function. Fertil Steril. 1998 Nov;70(5):817-20. PubMed PMID: 9806559.

Daniels K, Mosher WD, Jones J Contraceptive Methods Women Have Ever Used: United States, 1982–2010

“Contraceptive Use in the United States.” Guttmacher Institute, 21 Sept. 2017, www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/contraceptive-use-united-states.