How long does it take the shot to start working?

By Attia @ Planned Parenthood | April 21, 2020, 5 p.m.

Category: Ask the Experts, Birth Control

I’m asking for curiosity purposes. My fiance just had her first depo-shot today, however (per her doctors advice) up to and including last night she was on the pill. She also is within 5 days of the start of her period, which ended yesterday. Can I assume that she is protected?

Yes, if she got the birth control shot (AKA Depo-Provera) within the first 7 days after the start of her period (and it sounds like she did), then she’s protected from pregnancy right away. If she started at any other time in her cycle she would need to use backup birth control (like a condom) or avoid having sex for the first 7 days after getting the shot.

Remember that while your fiancé may be protected from pregnancy, it’s still important to use a condom every time you have sex. Condoms provide extra protection from pregnancy and also protect you both from STDs. If you’d rather have sex without the condoms, be sure to get yourselves tested for STDs first. Many STDs don’t have any symptoms, so if you never got tested/treated you may not have any idea you have one from a past relationship. So getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an STD.

Visit your local Planned Parenthood health center to get tested.

Tags: condoms, birth control, the shot