Medroxyprogesterone — uses, dosing, side effects & the brands that sell it · pharmaranks
Medroxyprogesterone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Medroxyprogesterone is a progestin sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for amenorrhea, breast neoplasms and renal cell carcinoma. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
By the pharmaranks editorial team·Reviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sources·How we research
Key facts
Drug class
Progestin
Treats
Amenorrhea, Breast Neoplasms and Renal Cell Carcinoma
Available as
Injectable · Tablet
Sold as
3 products — Depo-Provera, Depo-Subq Provera 104 and Provera
From the FDA label for Depo-Provera (application NDA020246). Other medroxyprogesterone products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The recommended dose is 150 mg of MPA Injectable Suspension, USP every 3 months (13 weeks) administered by deep, intramuscular (IM) injection in the gluteal or deltoid muscle. ( 2.1 ) 2.1 Prevention of Pregnancy Both the 1 mL vial and the 1 mL prefilled syringe of MPA Injectable Suspension, USP should be vigorously shaken just before use to ensure that the dose being administered represents a uniform suspension. The recommended dose is 150 mg of MPA Injectable Suspension, USP every 3 months (13 weeks) administered by deep intramuscular (IM) injection using strict aseptic technique in the gluteal or deltoid muscle, rotating the sites with every injection. As with any IM injection, to avoid an inadvertent subcutaneous injection, body habitus should be assessed prior to each injection to determine if a longer needle is necessary particularly for gluteal IM injection. Use for longer than 2 years is not recommended (unless other birth control methods are considered inadequate) due to the impact of long-term MPA Injectable Suspension, USP treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] . Dosage does not need to be adjusted for body weight [see Clinical Studies (14.1) ] . To ensure the patient is not pregnant at the time of the first injection, the first injection should be given ONLY during the first 5 days of a normal menstrual period or within the…
Medroxyprogesterone side effects
The following important adverse reactions observed with the use of MPA Injectable Suspension, USP are discussed in greater detail in the Warnings and Precautions section (5) : • Loss of Bone Mineral Density [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Thromboembolic disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Breast Cancer [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Anaphylaxis and Anaphylactoid Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Bleeding Irregularities [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] • Weight Gain [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] Most common adverse reactions (incidence >5%): menstrual irregularities (bleeding or spotting) 57% at 12 months, 32% at 24 months, abdominal pain/discomfort 11%, weight gain >10 lb at 24 months 38%, dizziness 6%, headache 17%, nervousness 11%, decreased libido 6%. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Prasco Laboratories at 1-866-525-0688 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch . 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, therefore, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. In the two clinical trials with MPA Injectable Suspension, USP, over 3,900 women, who were treated for up to 7 years, reported the…
Every medroxyprogesterone product we track (3)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Injectable Suspension, USP contains medroxyprogesterone acetate, a derivative of progesterone, as its active ingredient. Medroxyprogesterone acetate is active by the parenteral and oral routes of administration. It is a white to off-white; odorless crystalline powder that is stable in air and that melts between 200°C and 210°C. It is freely soluble in chloroform, soluble in acetone and dioxane, sparingly soluble in alcohol and methanol, slightly soluble in ether, and insoluble in water. The chemical name for medroxyprogesterone acetate is pregn-4-ene-3, 20-dione, 17-(acetyloxy)-6-methyl-, (6α-). The structural formula is as follows: MPA Injectable Suspension, USP for IM injection is available in vials and prefilled syringes, each containing 1 mL of medroxyprogesterone acetate sterile aqueous suspension 150 mg/mL. For MPA Injectable Suspension, USP vials, each mL of sterile aqueous suspension contains: Medroxyprogesterone acetate 150 mg Polyethylene glycol 3350 28.9 mg Polysorbate 80 2.41 mg Sodium chloride 8.68 mg Methylparaben 1.37 mg Propylparaben 0.150 mg Water for injection quantity sufficient When necessary, pH is adjusted with sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid, or both. For MPA Injectable Suspension, USP prefilled syringes, each mL of sterile aqueous suspension contains: Medroxyprogesterone acetate 150 mg Polyethylene glycol 3350 28.5 mg…
What kind of drug is medroxyprogesterone?
The FDA classifies medroxyprogesterone as a progestin. Progestins are lab-made versions of the hormone progesterone. Acting through progesterone receptors, they quiet the brain signals that trigger ovulation, thicken cervical mucus so sperm cannot pass, and thin the uterine lining, which together help prevent pregnancy and regulate periods. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take medroxyprogesterone with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run medroxyprogesterone against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Who shouldn’t take medroxyprogesterone
The use of MPA Injectable Suspension, USP is contraindicated in the following conditions: • Active thrombophlebitis, or current or history of thromboembolic disorders, or cerebral vascular disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] . • Known or suspected malignancy of breast [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] . • Known hypersensitivity to MPA Injectable Suspension, USP (medroxyprogesterone acetate or any of its other ingredients) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] . • Significant liver disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] . • Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] . • Active thrombophlebitis, or current or past history of thromboembolic disorders, or cerebral vascular disease. ( 4 ) • Known or suspected malignancy of breast. ( 4 ) • Known hypersensitivity to MPA Injectable Suspension, USP (medroxyprogesterone acetate or any of its other ingredients). ( 4 ) • Significant liver disease. ( 4 ) • Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding. ( 4 )
Medroxyprogesterone drug interactions
Drugs or herbal products that induce certain enzymes, including CYP3A4, may decrease the effectiveness of contraceptive drug products. Counsel patients to use a back-up method or alternative method of contraception when enzyme inducers are used with MPA Injectable Suspension, USP. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Changes in Contraceptive Effectiveness Associated with Co-Administration of Other Products If a woman on hormonal contraceptives takes a drug or herbal product that induces enzymes, including CYP3A4, that metabolize contraceptive hormones, counsel her to use additional contraception or a different method of contraception. Drugs or herbal products that induce such enzymes may decrease the plasma concentrations of contraceptive hormones, and may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives. Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include: • barbiturates • bosentan • carbamazepine • felbamate • griseofulvin • oxcarbazepine • phenytoin • rifampin • St. John's wort • topiramate HIV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors : Significant changes (increase or decrease) in the plasma levels of progestin have been noted in some cases of co-administration of HIV protease inhibitors. Significant changes (increase or decrease) in the plasma levels of the progestin have been noted in some cases of…
What brand names is medroxyprogesterone sold under?
We track 3 medroxyprogesterone-containing products in the U.S.: Depo-Provera, Depo-Subq Provera 104 and Provera. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does medroxyprogesterone come in?
Across the brands we track, medroxyprogesterone is currently marketed as injectable and tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic medroxyprogesterone?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled medroxyprogesterone product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Has medroxyprogesterone been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 2 recall records whose product description mentions medroxyprogesterone. The most recent: Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Injectable Suspension (Apr 25, 2025). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.