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Kansas State University

Lafene Health Center
Kansas State University
1105 Sunset Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-3761
785-532-6544
lafene@k-state.edu

Letter from Lafene Health Center to Depo Provera users [pdf]

Women's Clinic
Patient Information

Depo-Provera users:
drug safety information

January 12, 2005

Dear Depo-Provera User,

Pfizer, the drug company that manufactures Depo-Provera, has recently issued additional warnings regarding the drug. The additional warnings include:

  • Use of Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection may cause you to lose calcium stored in your bones. The longer you use Depo-Provera the more calcium you are likely to lose. The calcium may not return completely once you stop using Depo-Provera.
  • Loss of calcium may cause weak, porous bones (osteoporosis) that could increase the risk that your bones might break, especially after menopause. It is not known whether your risk of developing osteoporosis may be greater if you are a teenager when you start to use Depo-Provera.
  • You should use Depo-Provera long term (for example, more than 2 years) only if other methods of birth control are not right for you.
  • Calcium is generally added to the bones during teenage years. The decrease of calcium in your bones is of most concern if you are a teenager or have the following risk factors:
    • bone disease
    • anorexia nervosa (an eating disorder)
    • a strong family history of osteoporosis
    • drug use that can lower the amount of calcium in bones (drugs for epilepsy or steroids) or drinking a lot of alcohol or smoking a lot.
  • If you need a birth control method for more than 2 years, your healthcare provider may ask you to switch to another birth control method or ask you to have a test of your bones before continuing Depo-Provera, especially if you have other risk factors for weak bones. Your healthcare provider may tell you to take calcium and Vitamin D as this may lessen the loss of calcium from your bones.

If you have any questions, please call the Women's Clinic at 785.532.6554 and schedule an appointment. You can also visit the Lafene web site at www.k-state.edu/lafene.

If you would like further information from the drug manufacturer of Depo-Provera, Pfizer, please visit their web site at www.pfizer.com or call their patient support line at 1.866.554.3376.

Lafene Health Center Medical Staff

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