Bones and Hormones: Information for Women Who Use Hormone-Containing Birth Control Methods

Women who use the birth control shot (Depo-Provera) have been warned that this method, especially when used for a long time, can cause bone loss. In 2004, a “black box warning” — a caution label used when the FDA finds a possibly serious concern about a product's effect on health — advised that Depo-Provera may cause significant loss of bone density, a factor to be carefully considered before using the shot for longer than 2 years. Recently, however, research has shown that women who lose bone while using this method regain bone strength after they stop.

If you're using or considering the birth control shot, should you be concerned? Do other hormone-containing birth control methods affect bones? In evaluating the use of any medication, exper…