Women in Nizhny Novgorod were warned about possible risks of taking a popular contraceptive.

      October 17, 2025 17:55 Society

      Women of Nizhny Novgorod were urged to take a conscious approach to choosing hormonal contraception. The warning was prompted by a growing interest in the drug Depo-Provera from Pfizer. This was written by Alexey Nikonov, editor-in-chief of MIA "Stacionar-press", on his Telegram channel.

      According to him, in the first eight months of 2025 sales of the drug in monetary terms grew by 10% compared with the same period last year. The product is used not only for pregnancy prevention but also for treating endometriosis. In the region’s pharmacies it is available only by prescription.

      Meanwhile in the US Depo-Provera has become the center of large-scale litigation. Dozens of women have filed lawsuits claiming that long-term use of the drug led to the development of benign brain tumors — meningiomas.

      These concerns are supported by scientific data. A study published in the British Medical Journal reports a link between prolonged use of certain progestogenic drugs and an increased risk of intracranial meningioma. In the case of Depo-Provera this risk, according to the study, increases by 5.6 times.

      The victims claim that the manufacturer did not warn either patients or doctors about possible consequences of using the drug for more than one year. Depo-Provera is administered by injection once every three months.

      Alexey Nikonov noted that the drug is still approved in Russia, but in light of the lawsuits in the US and the new scientific data it is essential to discuss all possible risks with the treating physician.

      Earlier it was reported that emergency contraception drugs began to disappear from Nizhny Novgorod pharmacies.

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