What are the benefits of the birth control shot?

The birth control shot is effective at preventing pregnancy.

If you remember to get your shots on time, the shot (Depo-Provera) is a very effective birth control method.

Want maximum protection from pregnancy? Use condoms along with the shot. Bonus: condoms also protect you from STDs.

The shot is convenient and private.

The birth control shot (Depo-Provera) is easy to get. And once you have it, it’s super convenient. If you use it correctly, you only have to think about birth control 4 times each year. It’s great for people who don’t want to deal with taking a pill every day, or who don’t want to use birth control that interrupts sex. You may even be able to get shots to bring home and give yourself, which makes it extra convenient. 

If you do get the shot in a doctor’s office, it's super private. You wouldn't have to deal with packaging or any other evidence of birth control, so nobody has to know that you’re using it.

The shot is birth control you don’t have to use during sex, so it won’t get in the way of the action. If you use the shot correctly, you’re protected from pregnancy all day, every day. Many people say the shot makes their sex lives better because they don’t have to interrupt sex or worry about pregnancy.

The shot can make you get your period less often while you use it.

Lots of people like the shot because it makes their periods get lighter. Half of people who use the shot stop getting their periods. That usually happens after about a year of using the shot. Not getting your period is totally safe, so there’s nothing to worry about. However, for the first 12 months, many people say they bleed more days than usual and have spotting between periods. Your period should go back to normal a few months after you stop using the shot.

The birth control shot has health benefits.

The shot can help protect you from cancer of the uterus and ectopic pregnancy.  

The shot is temporary, so you can get pregnant after you stop using it if you want to.

Lots of people who use the birth control shot want to have kids when the time is right. One of the great things about the shot is that it’s not permanent. So you can get pregnant after you stop using it if you want to.

While the shot doesn’t change your ability to get pregnant in the long run, it can cause a delay of about 9-10 months in being able to get pregnant after stopping it. So, if you think you will want to get pregnant within the next year or so, talk with your doctor or nurse about other birth control options.