Drug
Medroxyprogesterone
Pronounced
"meh-DROX-ee-pro-JESS-tur-own A-seh-tate"
Uses
This medication is used to prevent pregnancy. Medroxyprogesterone is like a natural hormone made by the body.
Medroxyprogesterone is also used to treat endometriosis. It works by lowering the amount of certain hormones in the body and decreasing the growth of abnormal tissues that cause endometriosis. This helps reduce pain and other symptoms.
Using this medication does not protect you or your partner against sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia).
Warning
This medication may cause serious bone loss which may not return to normal after you stop using it. The risk of bone loss increases with longer use of this medication and smoking. An important time when your bones continue to build up is during your teenage and young adult years. Use of this medication may increase the risk of weak/brittle bones (osteoporosis), which can lead to broken bones when you are older. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of this medication and other birth control choices.
This medication should not be used longer than 2 years for birth control or for treatment of endometriosis unless other methods/treatments will not work for you.
How to Use This Medication
Read the Patient Information Leaflet if available from your pharmacist before you start using medroxyprogesterone and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This medication is given by injection under the skin as directed by your doctor, usually once every 3 months. The injection is given in the stomach area or upper thigh. Before starting this medication, you must have a negative pregnancy test. The first injection is usually given during the first 5 days of your menstrual period or 6 weeks after the delivery of your baby if you are breastfeeding. Follow your doctor's exact instructions if you are switching from another birth control method. Repeat the same dose every 12 to 14 weeks.
Use this medication regularly to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, mark your calendar with a reminder. If more than 14 weeks pass between injections, you could become pregnant. Use a form of non-hormonal birth control (such as condoms, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy until you can get the next injection. Your doctor may direct you to first have a pregnancy test before your next injection.