Many women use birth control, but what kind of birth control do you use? I have been on one type of birth control for three years–Depo-Provera. This method is said to be the most effective way to prevent pregnancies along with sterilization (which you probably won’t want to do unless you never want kids).
So what is Depo-Provera? Well, according to The Women’s Health Group, Depo-Provera is “a long-action form of birth control. It is an injection given every 12 weeks under a doctor’s supervision.” Once you get the injection, the progesterone injected into you prevents ovulation from happening. This way, no eggs can really be released into the uterus tube. The injection also creates a sort of “mucus wall” in your cervix, to prevent sperm from getting through.
The first time you get the shot, you must wait a full 24 hours before it becomes effective. If you’ve already had the shot, you must go back to get an injection every 12 weeks or three months, for it to continue to become effective. If you get your next shot within twelve weeks, you don’t have to worry about waiting 24 hours, it is still effective. You will no longer have a period or menstrual cycle once you start the injection.
Although Depo-Provera is said to be the most effective method of birth control, with less than one of every 100 women getting pregnant while using it, there are some risks that doctors either make light of or simply don’t mention at all.
