Depo-Provera Side Effects

As of August 2024, neoplasms — also known as tumors — were the most reported Depo-Provera side effect in the FDA’s database. We conducted a search of the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System for the search terms “Depo-Provera” and “medroxyprogesterone acetate” to provide you with the following data.

Disclaimer: Reports sent to the FDA don’t necessarily mean the drug caused an adverse event. Consult a health care professional before stopping or changing medication.

This data is from 1969 to June 30, 2024. In that time, people reported 20,499 neoplasms — benign, malignant and unspecified. The second most reported adverse events were general disorders and administrative site conditions.

In clinical trials, the most common Depo-Provera side effects occurred in more than 5% of test subjects. Less common side effects that were not serious occurred in 1 to 5% of test subjects. Pfizer used trial data from two clinical trials with over 3,000 women treated for up to seven years.

According to clinical trial data on the prescribing label, “The median study duration was 13 months with a range of 1-84 months. Fifty-eight percent of patients remained in the study after 13 months and 34% after 24 months.”

Some of these side effects led people to discontinue the trial, and these were bleeding, amenorrhea and weight gain.

Serious side effects may occur with Depo-Provera, though these are rarer, including bone density loss, increased risk of breast cancer and allergic reactions. The prescription label has a black box warning, the FDA’s strongest warning, for loss of bone mineral density.

If you are concerned about any of these side effects, make sure to discuss your risk with your medical provider.

Bone Mineral Density Loss

Because Depo-Provera reduces estrogen levels, the drug is associated with significant loss of bone mineral density. This side effect is more concerning to adolescents and young adults because bone is still forming at this age. Bones could be more susceptible to fracture.

In study results detailed on the drug’s prescribing information, women who used Depo-Provera for more than two years and stopped using it still had not fully recovered bone loss after five years. Bones affected were the hip, femoral neck and lumbar spine.

The drug’s label doesn’t recommend using Depo-Provera for more than two years unless there are no acceptable options.

Blood Clots

Some women reported blood clots while using Depo-Provera (150 mg). According to the drug’s label, the birth control shot hasn’t been proven to be associated with the induction of thrombotic or thromboembolic disorders. The drug’s label recommends stopping treatment with Depo-Provera if a blood clot occurs.

If women experience partial or complete loss of vision, sudden migraines or diplopia (double vision) they should stop using the drug until they are examined by a medical professional.

Breast Cancer Risk

Three studies conducted to determine the risk of breast cancer with Depo-Provera suggest a slightly increased risk of breast cancer among users, and increased risks were statistically significant in one study. The increased risk was particularly seen in women who used Depo-Provera for 12 months or longer.

According to a March 2024 study published in BMJ, Depo-Provera is potentially linked to a higher risk of developing meningioma, a type of noncancerous brain tumor. Study authors found that Depo-Provera users had a 5.6-fold increase in the risk of developing meningioma with long-term use.

This risk increase was more than any other birth control method studied. However, since this was an observational study, researchers cannot say for sure that the shot causes meningioma. It was also the first study of its kind, so science is still evolving on this topic.

Authors also noted that they conducted the story on a smaller sample of women because fewer women use Depo-Provera in France than in other parts of the world and more studies are needed in countries with heavier use.

“Meningiomas grow out of the middle layer of the meninges called the arachnoid. They grow slowly and may exist for years before being detected. Sometimes doctors will discover meningioma incidentally on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the head or spinal cord,” according to Drugwatch expert and oncology clinical pharmacy specialist, Dazhi Liu.

These types of tumors are not typically cancerous, but the mass can grow and affect surrounding brain tissue and impinge on nerves or blood vessels causing serious issues. When this happens, doctors may perform brain surgery which could be risky.

Lawyers are currently investigating Depo-Provera lawsuits on behalf of women who developed meningioma after using the brand name or generic form of the drug.

Depo-Provera side effects typically last about two to three months as the body adjusts to the difference in hormones. If people discontinue the shot, it will take a few months to adjust to being off the hormones.

Everyone is different, and mild side effects may go away quicker or linger longer. If any side effects are bothersome or uncomfortable make sure to seek advice from a medical professional.