Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+
Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+
Everyday Wellness™
Ep. 611 "What the Pill & Depo Do to Your Bones" | Menopause, Perimenopause, Bone Health
42 minutes Posted Jun 25, 2026 at 7:00 am.
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Show notes
Welcome to the latest Midlife Minute.
Today, we’re discussing how oral contraceptives and Depo Provera can impact women’s bone health over time.Stay tuned as I walk you through the research, prescribing trends, and ways women can support their bone health.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:
How peak bone mass in adolescence affects bone health later in life
How oral contraceptives can interfere with the bone development of young women
The lack of informed conversations about the bone health risks associated with long-term contraceptive use
Why Depo Provera may have a stronger impact on bone density than oral contraceptives
The importance of nutrition and strength training for supporting bone health
How hormonal contraceptives can affect the gut microbiome and immune system
What you need to consider regarding your bone density and long-term health if you’ve been using oral contraceptives or Depo for many years
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Resources:
Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, oral contraceptives and bone mineral density in a cohort of adolescent girls doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2004.07.005
Oral Contraceptive Use and Bone Density Change in Adolescent and Young Adult Women: A Prospective Study of Age, Hormone Dose, and Discontinuation doi:10.1210/jc.2010-3027
Adolescent use of combined hormonal contraception and peak bone mineral density accrual: A meta-analysis of international prospective controlled studies doi:10.1111/cen.13932
No need to specialize: reproductive health is for all adolescents doi:10.1016/j.jpag.2006.01.055
Injectable Hormone Contraception and Bone Density: Results from a Prospective Study doi:10.1097/00001648-200209000-00015
Hormonal contraception and the development of autoimmunity: A review of the literature doi:10.1080/00243639.2017.1360065
Oral contraceptives, reproductive factors and risk of inflammatory bowel disease doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302362
Combined oral contraceptive use and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus doi:10.1002/art.24398
Oral Contraceptives and Multiple Sclerosis/Clinically Isolated Syndrome Susceptibility doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149094
The Experience of Surviving a High-Risk Pregnancy doi:10.1080/23293691.2016.1166104
Effects of 0.9 mg Recombinant Human Thyrotropin on Thyroid Size and Function in Normal Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Cross-Over Trial doi:10.1210/jc.2004-0914