Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera

See how Sprintec and Depo-Provera compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.

Key Takeaways

  • Sprintec is a daily combination pill, while Depo-Provera is a progestin-only shot given every three months, so the biggest difference is how often you have to think about your birth control.

  • Sprintec is also used off-label for moderate acne, while Depo-Provera carries a boxed warning for bone mineral density loss with prolonged use.

  • Because Depo-Provera has no estrogen, it can work for people who cannot take combination pills like Sprintec, but fertility may take longer to return after stopping it.

Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera Drug Summary

Sprintec

Sprintec is a combination oral contraceptive containing norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol. It is taken as one tablet daily for 28 days, with 21 active pills followed by 7 inert ones, to prevent pregnancy. It is also used off-label to treat moderate acne in females 15 and older.

Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera is a progestin-only injectable contraceptive containing medroxyprogesterone acetate. It is given as a shot once every three months, into the muscle or under the skin, to prevent pregnancy. Long-term use is monitored closely because of a risk of bone density loss.

Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera Side Effects

Sprintec

Most common
Headache/migraine (up to 32.9%)
Vaginal infection (up to 8.4%)
Abdominal/GI pain (up to 7.8%)
Genital discharge (up to 6.8%)

Depo-Provera

Most common
Menstrual bleeding (up to 57%)
Weight gain (up to 38%)
Headache (up to 17%)
Stomach pain (up to 11%)

Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera Dosage

Sprintec

Dosage
Dosage Table
STAGE DOSE WHEN
Starting dose 1 tablet once daily Days 1-28
Maximum dose 1 tablet once daily Same as starting
Dose changes None Fixed dose

Depo-Provera

Dosage
Dosage Table
STAGE DOSE WHEN
Starting dose 150 mg every 3 months At the start
Maximum dose 150 mg every 3 months Same as starting
Dose changes None Fixed dose

Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera Indications

Sprintec

Sprintec is a combination birth control pill taken once daily to prevent pregnancy. It is also used off-label to treat moderate acne in females 15 and older who have no contraindications to hormonal birth control.

  • Prevention of pregnancy in females of reproductive potential

  • Off-label: treatment of moderate acne (ages 15+)

  • Not approved as emergency contraception

  • Not for women over 35 who smoke

Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera is a progestin-only injection given every three months to prevent pregnancy. It is not meant for continuous use beyond two years unless other contraceptive options are not suitable, due to bone density concerns.

  • Prevention of pregnancy

  • Not recommended beyond 2 years except when needed

  • Not indicated before menarche

  • Not for use during pregnancy

Sprintec vs. Depo-Provera Pros and Cons

Sprintec

Sprintec offers daily control over hormone dosing and a fast return to normal cycles once stopped, but it requires consistent daily use and includes estrogen, which raises certain cardiovascular risks. Generic pricing tends to keep it affordable for many patients.

Pros

  • Daily pill means fertility returns quickly after stopping

  • Used off-label to treat moderate acne

  • No bone density loss warning, unlike Depo-Provera

Cons

  • Requires remembering a pill every day

  • Contains estrogen, raising clot and stroke risk with smoking

  • Not safe for women over 35 who smoke

  • Not an option for emergency contraception

Depo-Provera

Depo-Provera trades daily effort for a quarterly shot and avoids estrogen-related risks, but it carries a boxed warning for bone density loss and can delay the return of fertility after stopping. It is not intended as an open-ended long-term method.

Pros

  • Only requires an injection once every 3 months

  • Progestin-only, an option for those who cannot take estrogen

  • No daily pill to remember

Cons

  • Carries a boxed warning for bone mineral density loss

  • Fertility may take several months to return after stopping

  • Not recommended for continuous use beyond 2 years

  • Weight gain and irregular bleeding are common with prolonged use

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