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For 16 years, Sara relied on Depo-Provera, trusting that the birth control injections she received every three months were safe. Just like millions of women, she thought of her Depo-Provera injections as routine. Still, she was never warned about the potential dangers lurking beneath the surface.
In mid-2022, Sara's first symptoms appeared—relentless headaches and vertigo that made even simple daily tasks unbearable. At first, she thought it would go away. Then, she realized something was definitely wrong.
She went to her doctor for help. She was referred to a specialist, hoping for answers. But nothing could have prepared her for the devastating diagnosis: Sara had a brain tumor called a meningioma silently growing in her skull.
The news was overwhelming and created so many questions.
About 90% of meningioma (pronounced: muh-nin-jee-ow-muh) brain tumors are non-cancerous, 6-7% are atypical and grow aggressively, and 2-3% are cancerous. However, even benign ones can cause problems if they press on the brain or spinal cord. But numbers aside—no growth on your brain is ever good.
For Sara, the tumor’s placement demanded immediate intervention.
Later that year, Sara underwent an invasive craniotomy, a strenuous procedure where surgeons had to make a deep incision in her scalp, use a craniotome to cut open her skull and access the tumor, and remove not just the mass but any abnormal tissue surrounding it.
The surgical team then had to reinforce her skull and secure it with a titanium plate and screws—foreign materials that are now permanently embedded in her body as a reminder of all that she has had to deal with.
Because of Depo-Provera and the brain tumor, Sara was forced to step away from her job, lose a significant amount of income, and struggle with pain, fatigue, and physical and emotional suffering.
The experience left her shaken and questioning how this could have happened. She had never even heard of a meningioma brain tumor. Yet, now she had just dealt with this entire ordeal without a single warning.
But that's not the worst part. The worst part is that this has happened to dozens, maybe hundreds of women. As of the writing of this letter, 70 lawsuits have been consolidated into the Depo-Provera multi-district litigation.
However, tens of millions of women used or are using the Depo-shot. That means there could be a significant amount women out there who have suffered from a brain tumor and don't know it was possibly caused by taking Depo-Provera; or worse, there are thousands of women who don't even know they could have a tumor growing on their brain right now.
*Sara's story is real. However, we have changed her name and omitted personal details to preserve her privacy.
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