Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera
See how Yasmin and Depo-Provera compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Yasmin is a daily combined pill containing estrogen and progestin, while Depo-Provera is a progestin-only shot given every three months.
Yasmin carries estrogen-related risks, including a boxed warning for smokers over 35, while Depo-Provera's main concern is bone density loss with long-term use.
Depo-Provera causes more menstrual irregularity and weight gain, while Yasmin is more likely to cause headaches and breast tenderness.
Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera Drug Summary
Yasmin
Yasmin is a combined oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, taken once daily to prevent pregnancy. It's also prescribed off-label to treat acne and manage PCOS-related irregular cycles.
Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera is a progestin-only injectable contraceptive containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, given once every three months to prevent pregnancy. It contains no estrogen and works mainly by suppressing ovulation.
Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera Side Effects
Yasmin
Depo-Provera
Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera Dosage
Yasmin
Depo-Provera
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 3 mg/0.03 mg once daily | Days 1-21 |
| Maximum dose | Placebo tablet once daily | Days 22-28 |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | Every 21 days |
| 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 |
Yasmin
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 3 mg/0.03 mg once daily | Days 1-21 |
| Maximum dose | Placebo tablet once daily | Days 22-28 |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | Every 21 days |
Depo-Provera
| 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 |
Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera Indications
Yasmin
Yasmin is FDA-approved to prevent pregnancy in women of reproductive age. Off-label, it's also used to treat acne and to help regulate irregular cycles caused by PCOS.
Prevention of pregnancy (FDA-approved)
Treatment of acne (off-label)
Management of PCOS-related irregular cycles (off-label)
Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera is FDA-approved only for pregnancy prevention. It doesn't carry the off-label uses seen with combined pills, since it lacks estrogen and its hormonal effects work differently.
Prevention of pregnancy (FDA-approved)
Given as an injection every 3 months
Not recommended for more than 2 years continuous use unless other options are inadequate
Yasmin vs. Depo-Provera Pros and Cons
Yasmin
Yasmin provides predictable, once-daily dosing and offers off-label benefits for acne and PCOS-related irregular cycles, but it requires strict daily adherence and carries added cardiovascular risks for smokers over 35.
Pros
Once-daily pill lets you stop anytime, with fertility returning quickly after stopping
Can also treat acne and PCOS-related irregular cycles off-label
No injection needed and no bone density risk
Predictable monthly withdrawal bleeding makes tracking your cycle easier
Cons
Requires remembering to take a pill at roughly the same time every day
Contraindicated in kidney, liver, or adrenal disease due to drospirenone's potassium effect
Boxed warning for increased cardiovascular risk in smokers over 35
Roughly $50 to $96 per month without insurance, more than Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera
Depo-Provera offers convenient once-every-three-months dosing and avoids estrogen-related risks, but it carries a boxed warning for bone density loss and causes frequent menstrual irregularities in the first year.
Pros
Only needs an injection every three months, with no daily pill to remember
Contains no estrogen, an option for those who can't take estrogen-containing pills
Roughly $20 to $45 per month equivalent, less than Yasmin
Long track record of use since its 1992 approval for contraception
Cons
Boxed warning for significant bone density loss with prolonged use
Menstrual irregularities affect over half of users in the first year
Weight gain of more than 10 pounds reported in over a third of users by two years
Fertility can take several months to return after stopping the injections
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