Depo-Provera and Weight Gain

Finding a method of contraception that is both convenient and effective has been a challenge faced by women of reproductive age for many years. The hormonal contraceptive Depo-Provera® (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, DMPA) has addressed this problem in recent years. However there are side effects that must be considered with any drug therapy, and one of the major concerns for women in the United States has been with the assumed or experienced weight gain associated with DMPA use. Early studies and product information report a gain anywhere from 4-6 pounds in the first year of use. This correlated to dissatisfaction with the product and discontinuation of DMPA as a birth control method. However, more recent evidence contradicts this research and shows only non-significant gains in weight. A possible explanation is proposed by looking at demographic data, specifically age differences between the women in the older studies and women in the more recent research