Brand Name for Medroxyprogesterone Acetate
The brand name for medroxyprogesterone acetate is Depo-Provera. 1, 2
Formulations Available
Medroxyprogesterone acetate is marketed under the Depo-Provera brand in two distinct formulations for contraceptive use:
Depo-Provera (intramuscular): The traditional formulation administered as 150 mg intramuscularly every 3 months (13 weeks) 3, 4
Depo-SubQ Provera (subcutaneous): A lower-dose subcutaneous formulation that can be either provider-administered or self-administered, approved more recently with improved tolerability 5, 6
Key Clinical Context
The subcutaneous formulation (DMPA-SC) represents an important advancement, as self-administered DMPA-SC should be made available as an additional approach to deliver injectable contraception according to CDC guidelines, with evidence showing higher continuation rates compared to provider-administered depot medroxyprogesterone acetate 6. Both formulations maintain the same 3-month (13-week) dosing schedule, with injections allowed up to 2 weeks late (15 weeks from last injection) without requiring additional contraceptive protection 6, 7.
The FDA-approved intramuscular formulation is available as 400 mg/mL medroxyprogesterone acetate suspension, though the 150 mg dose is standard for contraceptive use 1. The brand name Depo-Provera has been used worldwide for many decades across more than 90 countries, with over 30 million women having used this contraceptive method 3.