hii, I am Dr Soumen Patra and give you a valuable information about DEPOT SHOT and effect on PREGNANCY. Lets start a detailed discussion. It is unusual to get pregnant while taking Depo-Provera regularly, but pregnancies sometimes occur before the shot is given, and then go unrecognized until there is an obvious sign, like fetal movement. If a woman becomes pregnant while using Depo Provera, and continues her pregnancy, there may be an increased risk of premature birth. Pregnancy and Depo Provera are like sunshine and rain. There is an extremely rare chance of them being together. **ACTS AS LONG TERM CONTRACEPTION : Depo Provera is a hormone injection that lasts for 3 months to prevent pregnancy. It is a long-acting progestin based contraceptive is given as a shot into your arm or buttock once every three months. The injection has synthetic progesterone and no estrogen. Depo Provera stops the ovaries from releasing eggs and thus prevents pregnancy by preventing the ovarian egg cells from maturing and releasing from the ovary. If an egg does not mature and release from either ovary there is no egg to be fertilized by sperm and pregnancy cannot occur. **DISADVANTAGES: There are also a lot of other associated disadvantages of Depo Provera that can hinder conception after long term use. The long term use of this medication causes irregularities in menstrual cycles for many women. Irregular, heavy, or no bleeding and weight gain are common side effects of Depo Provera. After a year of use, many women stop having periods. Furthermore, women who use Depo Provera may face an increased risk of osteoporosis and are advised to exercise and take in plenty of calcium. **EFFECT ON PREGNANCY : If you have been on Depo Provera and decide you want to get pregnant, it may take more than a year to regain your fertility. Don’t forget to take either folate or a daily vitamin that contains folate while you are off Depo Provera and trying to get pregnant. Folic acid can prevent birth defects that occur in the period before you might even know that you’re pregnant. So consult your gynaecologist and start planning for future pregnancy. All the best.