Pregnancy after Depo Provera

  Hi,
  I had been on the shot for about 2 years after delivering my daughter. I got off the shot over a year ago and just recently got my period.  I'm concerned with getting pregnant.  My depo shot distributor at my local health department did not tell me how long it could take to get a period and thus get pregnant.  I want terribly to get pregnant and wondered if you could tell me how long it may take?  Also, my girlfriend was also on the shot and has had 2 miscarriages.  Can this be related to the shot.  My gny has offered to put on a fertility drug to help me get pregnant.  What do you think?  I would appreciate any information you could give me.
  Thanks!

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Dear Shannon:
The average time from the last shot to return of menstrual cycles in women who stop DepoProvera is 5 calendar months. There are many ladies who take longer and one year is not unususal.
When menstrual cycles resume, the fertility of Depo-Provera users is the same as women who have stopped the IUD or oral contraceptives to become pregnant.
The average time to pregnancy in a group of ladies <30 years of age is 6 menstrual cycles.
Following Depo-Provera, there is no increase in miscarriage or birth defects.
Fertility drugs are applied "empirically" to help patients become pregnant. I liken the rationale to buying lottery tickets: if you buy two, you should have a better chance of winning. Fertility drugs work if one gives a sufficient dose to cause extra ovulations. The "downside" is the increased likelihood for multiple pregnancy using this strategy. There are no data that biology understands the rules of chance and lotteries.
Keywords: DepoProvera, return of menses, fertility
This information is provided for education purposes and is not a medical consutlation. If you have specific questions, please speak with your physician.

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