New Study Links Depo-Provera to Higher Risk of Brain Tumor

A new study published in JAMA Neurology in September 2025 found that women in the United States who use the birth control shot Depo-Provera (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, or DMPA) may face a higher risk of developing meningioma, a type of brain tumor that forms in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Key Findings from the JAMA Neurology Study

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University analyzed data from more than 10 million women across 68 U.S. health care organizations between 2004 and 2024. They compared women who used different forms of hormonal contraception, including the Depo-Provera shot, oral contraceptives, and intrauterine devices (IUDs).

The study found that women who used Depo-Provera had a 2.43 times higher relative risk of being diagnosed with meningioma compared with women who did not use hormonal contraceptives. The risk was highest among women who had taken the drug for more than four years or who started using it after age 31.

In comparison, women who used oral medroxyprogesterone acetate had a smaller but still elevated risk (1.18 times higher than non-users). Other contraceptives, including IUDs, combined oral contraceptives, and progestin-only pills, did not show an increased risk of meningioma.

The study highlights the importance of monitoring long-term use. Researchers calculated a number needed to harm (NNH) of 1,152 for Depo-Provera, meaning that for every 1,152 women using the drug, one additional case of meningioma would occur. For oral medroxyprogesterone acetate, the NNH was 3,020.

The authors concluded that while Depo-Provera users have a higher relative risk of meningioma. The findings may prompt women and healthcare providers to weigh the benefits and risks of prolonged use.

Previous Research on Hormonal Contraceptives and Brain Tumors

The new U.S.-based findings add to a growing body of international research on progestogen-based contraceptives and brain tumors. In March 2024, a large-scale study by the National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety in France linked several progestogen medications to an increased risk of intracranial meningiomas. That study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that long-term exposure to medroxyprogesterone acetate, nomegestrol acetate, and other related compounds increased the likelihood of developing these tumors.

The French study played an important role in raising international awareness about the potential neurological risks of long-term progestin use. The new JAMA Neurology study now provides evidence that similar associations exist among women in the United States.

Depo-Provera Lawsuits and Ongoing Litigation

Growing medical evidence has also led to lawsuits from women who developed meningiomas after using Depo-Provera. These lawsuits claim that Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer, failed to adequately warn patients about the potential brain tumor risk associated with long-term use.

As of September 2025, Depo-Provera cases have been centralized in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL). This consolidation allows plaintiffs across the country to coordinate discovery and pretrial proceedings. Attorneys at Levin Papantonio, a national leader in pharmaceutical litigation, are representing clients who allege that Depo-Provera caused their brain tumors.
Learn more about the Depo-Provera lawsuit here.

The outcome of this litigation may influence how drugmakers communicate risks associated with hormonal contraceptives in the future. For now, the new JAMA study provides important evidence for both ongoing research and pending legal claims.