Side Effects And Risks

Side effects of the contraceptive injection

Common side effects of the contraceptive injection include:

changes to your periods, such as periods stopping, being irregular or lasting longer - the longer you use it the more likely it is that your periods will stop completely
putting on weight
pain, a small lump or a scar where the injection is done

Some people report acne, lower sex drive, mood changes, hot flushes and headaches. There is not enough evidence to say if the contraceptive injection causes these.

If you have side effects and they're a problem for you, speak to a doctor or nurse.

Find out about choosing a method of contraception, including side effects and risks of different methods.

Risks of the contraceptive injection

There are some other problems linked to taking the contraceptive injection. But the chance of getting these is small. If you have any concerns, speak to a doctor or nurse.

Bone health

Using the contraceptive injection for more than 1 year can cause your bones to become weaker.

Your bones are likely to return to normal after you stop having contraceptive injections.

Cancer

The contraceptive injection can slightly increase your risk of getting:

The risk is very small and is likely to get smaller after you stop having the injection.

Blood clots

You may be at increased risk of getting a blood clot when using the contraceptive injection.

If you've had a blood clot in the past, or you have a condition like thrombophilia that increases your risk of getting a blood clot, you may be advised to use a different type of contraception.

Brain tumour

Using the contraceptive injection is linked to a small increased risk of getting a type of non-cancerous (benign) brain tumour called a meningioma.

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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