The Birth Control Shot

An easy to administrate contraceptive solution, the birth control shot makes a good choice for lots of couples all over the world. It contains progesterone only, with the hormone being slowly released into the body. The main impact of this hormone is to prevent ovulation, meaning that there will be no egg release monthly.

In comparison with the hormonal pill, the birth control shot has a higher efficiency range. While with the pill, 8 in 100 couples get pregnant yearly, the rate is only 3 in 100 per year in the case of the birth control shot. Yet, if you wait longer than three months before you get the next shot, chances of getting pregnant are higher.

There is no protection against sexually transmitted diseases with the birth control shot. Plus, there are physiological changes that could be an inconvenience while using this birth control method. Normally included in the list of adverse reactions, you could be experiencing:
-irregular menstrual periods;
-weight gain, breast tenderness and headaches;
-depression and mood changes.

Overweight is the most difficult to fight back if it appears as a side effect, because hormonal imbalances are harder to correct. Other long-term side effects have been reported in relation to the use of the progesterone birth control shot. Thus, studies indicate that it increases the incidence of loss in bone density which could lead to osteoporosis.

In case you decide that the birth control shot is a good option for you, talk to your health care provider and make sure that your daily calcium intake is enough to support the hormonal treatment without loss of bone density. Moreover, fertility may be harder to recover after the long term use of the birth control shots. The fertility problem is not permanent, and women can recover in time, but difficulties could appear along the way.

We should also expose some health issues or conditions that make the use of the birth control shot problematic. You should not administer it if you suffer from any of the following:

-headaches;
-disorders with blood coagulation;
-unexplained vaginal bleeding;
-thrombosis;
-cancer;
-suspected pregnancy.

As for costs, the birth control shot is not expensive, not to mention that health insurance usually covers the expenses. The best advice you can get related to the shot is at your doctor’s office.

Last but not least, when using some other drugs or herbal supplements, it is important to rely on a supplementary birth control method because the risk of interferences leaves you unprotected against pregnancy.