Depo Provera for Men as Contraception
Depo Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) should not be used as a contraceptive method for men as it is not approved for this purpose, lacks evidence of efficacy in males, and has no established safety profile for contraceptive use in men. 1
Approved Male Contraceptive Options
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly states that the only approved contraceptive methods specifically for men are condoms (with typical use failure rate of 18%) and vasectomy (with typical use failure rate of 0.15%) 1
- Male condoms provide the additional benefit of STI protection, which hormonal methods like Depo Provera do not offer 1
Why Depo Provera is Not Appropriate for Male Contraception
- Depo Provera is specifically designed and approved as a female contraceptive with established efficacy data showing a typical use failure rate of 6% and perfect use failure rate of 0.2% in women 1
- The mechanism of action of Depo Provera in women involves suppressing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, and thinning the endometrial lining - physiological processes that are not applicable to male reproductive biology 1
- Healthcare providers are advised by the CDC not to prescribe Depo Provera as a contraceptive for men due to lack of approval, evidence of efficacy, and safety data 1
Clinical Guidance for Men Seeking Contraception
- Men inquiring about contraceptive options should be counseled on the approved methods available to them: condoms and vasectomy 1
- For men seeking long-term, highly effective contraception, vasectomy offers a failure rate of only 0.15%, making it significantly more reliable than condoms 1
- For men who need temporary contraception or STI protection, condoms remain the standard recommendation 1
Important Considerations
- While Depo Provera has extensive safety and efficacy data for women, including information about side effects such as menstrual irregularities, weight gain, bone mineral density changes, and delayed return to fertility 1, no comparable data exists for men
- The administration protocol for Depo Provera in women (150 mg intramuscularly or 104 mg subcutaneously every 13 weeks) 1, 2 has not been studied or established for contraceptive use in men
- Self-administration options that exist for women using DMPA-SC 2 have no parallel for men, as the medication is not indicated for male contraception
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not confuse Depo Provera's use in certain medical treatments for men (such as in cases of certain sexual disorders or prostate cancer) with contraceptive efficacy 1
- Avoid assuming that hormonal contraceptives developed for one sex will have similar efficacy or safety profiles in the other sex 1
- Remember that prescribing medications for off-label uses requires strong evidence of safety and efficacy, which is lacking for Depo Provera as a male contraceptive 1