Depo Provera: Early pregnancy exposure
I am in my ninth month of pregnancy and anxiously awaiting the birth of our new baby. Unfortunately I had a Depo Provera shot given early in pregnancy. I was five days late and though I had no reason to suspect pregnancy the nurse didn't give me a pregnancy test. Of course I am worried if this has hurt my baby. Is my baby more likely to be born with birth defects?
Question:Peg Plumbo CNM
Peg Plumbo has been a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) since 1976. She has assisted at over 1,000 births and currently teaches in the... Read more
You are right. A pregnancy test must be done before administering depo provera if more than the 82 days between injections has elapsed (and especially when a woman's period is overdue!)
It is always best to give this drug with the menses and to use a backup method for the first two weeks.
The current opinion on the risks of depo provera during pregnancy is:
Answer:"Current data do not show any increased risk for birth defects caused by taking hormones during pregnancy." (from Hatcher's Contraceptive Technology).
