On the heels of one black box warning by the FDA comes another. The injectable contraceptive Depo-Provera will now come with a special warning that links prolonged use of the drug with significant bone density loss.
The FDA's decision to add such a warning followed analyses by the agency and Pfizer of data about the drug's long-term effect on bone density among teens and adult women. The drug maker claims, however, bone density loss has been "at least partially reversible" in girls and adult women who have used Depo-Provera. Let's wait and see...
The most important thing to remember about hormonal birth control solutions: Contraceptives like Depo-Provera are synthetic hormones and it isn't healthy for a woman to be exposed to them. In fact, their long-term use will invariably increase a woman's risk of developing serious chronic illness.
In fact, there is no medical justification for using birth control pills or other hormonal methods. In addition to increasing serious health risks such as blood clots, birth control pills can also deplete more important nutrients, including vitamins B2, B6 and B12.
News & Observer November 18, 2004