Depo-Provera and HIV

Population Research Institute

The Issue 

Injectable contraceptives like Depo-Provera increase the risk of HIV transmission. A recent meta-analysis conducted in collaboration with the Population Research Institute reviewed a total of 24 studies published in peer-reviewed journals and found a significant increased risk of acquiring HIV when using Depo-Provera and other injectables. Injectable contraceptives are commonly used worldwide, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where the prevalence of HIV remains high. International aid programs that are providing DMPA contraceptives to areas with high HIV prevalence may be contributing to the spread of AIDS. 

What is Depo-Provera and DMPA?

Depo-Provera is a pharmaceutical brand owned by Pfizer, Inc. and is the most widely used injectable contraceptive worldwide. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, or DMPA, is the active ingredient in Depo-Provera and in other popular DMPA injectables including Depo Sub-Q Provera 104, Sayana Press, and a number of other brands.

DMPA injectables prevent pregnancy for three months. Studies have shown, however, that Depo-Provera can delay a return to fertility for much longer, up to 31 months.i

DMPA injectables are administered as an intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. DMPA consists of large doses of artificial steroids that prevent follicular maturation and ovulation. DMPA has been noted to maintain thick cervical mucus which prevents fertilization. DMPA also causes endometrial thinning which makes the uterine lining hostile to blastocyst implantation in the event that an egg does becomes fertilized.

use this link to learn the risks of Acquiring HIV with DMPA

The Population Research Institute is a (501c3) non-profit research organization whose core values hold that people are the world’s greatest resource. PRI’s goals are to educate on this premise, to expose the myth of overpopulation, and to expose human rights abuses committed in population control programs. Our growing, global network of pro-life groups spans over 30 countries.  For more information, use this link.  

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