Safer Sex - FAQs
No Depo-Provera shot, no period
I’ve been on the injection for only 3 months. My due date to for my second injection was July 17, 2010. It’s now 45 days and I haven’t had my period yet.
Is that normal? What should I do?
Depo-Provera (also known as “Depo”) is an injection a woman gets every 12 weeks to prevent pregnancy.
Depo can cause changes to your period over time. It’s common for a woman who uses Depo-Provera to stop bleeding; bleed more or less than usual, or bleed or spot when she doesn’t expect to. When you stop taking Depo-Provera, it can be a few months before your periods go back to normal.
If you want to keep using Depo-Provera, make an appointment with your doctor to see when you should get your next injection.
Since you missed your July appointment and it’s been more than 14 weeks since your last injection, your doctor might do a pregnancy test.
If your pregnancy test comes back negative (you’re not pregnant):
- You can get your second injection right away. You don’t have to wait until your next period.
- You should use a back-up birth control method, such as condoms, for the 2 weeks after your Depo shot.
If you had intercourse the week before this second injection, you should do another pregnancy test 2 weeks after to rule out pregnancy.
If this second pregnancy test comes back positive (you’re pregnant) the injection won’t affect the growing fetus.
If Depo-Provera doesn’t seem right for you, ask your doctor about other birth control methods that will fit your lifestyle. Doctors and nurses at our Healthy Sexuality Clinics can also help you choose the right method for you.
