Planned Parenthood

Someone asked us:

Is it silly to ask for a pregnancy test before my next depo injection? I’ve been showing a lot of symptoms, and took a home test that showed positive. But I know how rare it is for someone on the shot to be pregnant, so would the people at the health clinic think I’m silly?

That’s not silly at all. Home pregnancy tests are very reliable and false positives are rare. We can’t diagnose you over the internet, but a positive pregnancy test usually means you’re pregnant. So it’s a good idea to talk with a doctor or nurse ASAP. And definitely don’t get another Depo shot until you talk with a doctor or nurse about the positive pregnancy test.

In the meantime, you can also take another pregnancy test to see if the results are different. Lots of people take a few tests over a few days  to confirm the results.

Depo is a great method of birth control. It’s 94% effective at preventing pregnancy, and even more effective if you always get your shot on time. But no birth control methods are 100% effective, and on rare occasions pregnancy can still happen. Pairing birth control with condoms can lower the chances of getting pregnant even more. Added bonus: condoms also help protect against STDs.  

-Mylanie at Planned Parenthood