Pregnancy After the Depo Shot

Updated on August 17, 2010
N.R. asks from Chicago, IL
7 answers

I have a personal question that I'm hoping someone can answer. I was on the Depo shot for almost a year. The last shot I received was in Dec 09' and I have yet to have a period. I was just curious as what the chances are of me getting pregnant without a period. A couple of years ago I was on birth control but went off it (doctor's orders) and did not get a period for a year. 5 months after my 1st period started I became pregnant which was what we wanted. In the past I had to go on birth control pills to regulate my periods. I got on the depo last year to prevent pregnancy, but my husband and I are thinking of having another child. If I don't get pregnant this year I will go to my doctor. I actually have to schedule my yearly exam so I will bring up the no periods at my appointment. Ideally we figured next year will be good to try and conceive as our daughter will be 3 and hopefully completely out of diapers. If i were to get pregnant now we will of course be happy as we are not using any form of protection to prevent a pregnancy aside from the fact that I haven't had a period. I was just wondering if it is even possible to get pregnant without a period. I did research this question on the internet but was hoping maybe this may have happened to you or you knew someone who got pregnant without having a period.

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M.M.

answers from Hickory on

You can but it is very hard. Most of the time you will not see a pregnancy if you are not having some kind of a cycle.I took the shot too and after stopping my OB had to give me something to jump start my cycles again. When my son was 3 I had my girl. I sounds like you may want to tell your doctor about the no cycle and let them help you with getting back on track if you are wanting to try for a baby. With out having a cycle you are not sure if you are Ovulating and if so when. Knowing when you are Oing and if you are is the key thing to trying for a little one. I wish you all the best.

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C.T.

answers from Chicago on

Yes it is possible, here's how. The period comes after ovulation so if you ovulate, you can become pregnant and therefore not have a period. Example would be a woman who had a baby and is breastfeeding. Many women don't have periods when they breastfeed. There does come a certain point though when it does start back up and since ovulation comes before a period starts there is a chance that pregnancy can occur if she's not using some sort of contraception.

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M.L.

answers from New York on

Hi Nicole,
My husband and I were trying for over a year to get pregnant...I was going through a phase of only getting my period every three months....during one of those "phase's" I became pregnant....I actually thought I had the flu, as in my mind there was no way I could be prego....sure enough a pregnancy test confirmed it...so hang in there....my situation is proof that just because you dont get a period you can still get pregnant!!
Meg

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B.H.

answers from Tallahassee on

The Depo Shot really messed me up. I had one shot and bled for months! I never did get another shot amd switch to somthing else. It just takes a long time (for me anyway) to get completely out of your system.

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L.P.

answers from Chicago on

I can tell you about my experience. I was on depo for 5 years. When I told my doc i wanted off of it he put me on the pill right away which made my period come back right away. I went off the pill a couple months later and I was pregnant within weeks! Talk to your doctor.

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

It is possible, but difficult. If you are not having periods you are most likely not ovulating, although it is possible to conceive on the first ovulation post birth-control, before your first period returns. Before trying for my first I was on the shot and periods ceased while I was on it. It took a full year after the last shot for my period to return, but fortunately we got pregnant the first month of trying. You could ask your doctor about possible options for encouraging your cycles to restart. I believe it is considered "normal" for it to take 2-12 months for periods to return post depo. It can be a frustrating wait. Good luck.

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G.B.

answers from Boise on

yes, you can. But the fact that Depo has a propensity to destroy the lining of the uterus and can atrophy it will make it harder for some women to get pregnant after this drug.

For those reading this blog who are still on Depo, you need to get off.

The failure rate of pregnancy on Depo is 3%. Babies who are born while this is in the mother's system have a high chance of genital deformity.

I just wrote a very long list of effects that this drug has on the mothers body, to another person on this site. Of great concern was the fact that it robs your bones of vit D and leaves you with a curved spine and degenterated neck and tailbones, this occuring within the first 2 years of use. But that was just one of a LONG list of very, very serious effects. Lookup the posted question on Depo.

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