The Office on Women's Health has recommended new moms set apart their pregnancies for at least 12 months to give time for the body to recuperate and decrease the possibility of postpartum depression and other pregnancy or birth complications. Hence, several birth control methods are advised by doctors for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding moms.
Hormonal birth control options range from implants, IUDs, pills, and shots, and non-hormonal methods involve condoms and cervical caps. With medical assistance from a doctor, both types of contraceptives are ensured to prevent pregnancy. The effectiveness, application, and duration of the said choices vary. From the list, contraceptive shots are seen to have a 96% effectiveness rate. Its high effectivity rate was supported by 1,422,760 women who used the injectable method in 2018. However, its side effects often take months before dissipating, which usually covers weight gain, nausea, headaches, and irregularities during periods (i.e., spotting, not having periods, and longer days of bleeding).
Among the contraceptive shots available in the United States is Depo-Provera, scientifically known as depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. Doctors mainly recommend it to women because of its effectiveness. Getting injected into the arm or buttocks every 12 weeks, it ensures a success rate of 96%. Depo-Provera presents a higher performance in preventing pregnancy than most birth control methods, and as such, its long-term effects are daunting and come as a shock to its users.
A study in France has found Depo-Provera to be a determining factor in cases of cranial meningioma in women. 18,061 out of the 108,366 participants have undergone surgery for brain meningioma between 2009 to 2018. Based on the results, a 150 mg continuous use of injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate increases the likelihood of its user acquiring meningioma.
Meningioma spreads tumors in regions of the brain and spinal cord. Most of its cases are benign or slow in growing, but surgery is usually advised due to the critical organs and parts it affects. Its symptoms commonly comprise vision problems, seizures, headaches, and numbness or weakness in the arms or legs.
In 2022, at least 30% of American women were reported to have been withheld pivotal information while choosing birth control methods by their doctors. As a result, they were unaware of their chosen method's possible repercussions and side effects. This type of medical negligence may also be attributed to the fact that there are not enough studies regarding contraceptives to determine and relate their effects with persistent use strictly.
Without strict restrictions and regulations in place to protect women from contraceptives with detrimental effects, companies will not only face class action suits from victims. Still, they will remain ambiguous and detached from the importance of transparency and prolonged product testing for birth control.
In the meantime, until the necessary steps in guaranteed safety regarding the manufacturing of birth control methods have improved, women who have fallen victim to medroxyprogesterone acetate are urged to file claims in paralegal firms, such as Atraxia Law, to counteract the damage caused by contraceptives like Depo-Provera and seek accountability from its manufacturing company.
Through a set of criteria, Atraxia Law can help women file claims for Depo Provera:
received a meningioma diagnosis,
had at least two medroxyprogesterone acetate (or any of its generic forms) injections after 1992,
medical attestation of a meningioma diagnosis after using the said contraceptive injection.
About the Author
Stan Gottfredson is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Atraxia Law, a paralegal firm based in San Diego, California, focused on attending to individuals harmed by toxic exposure.
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