The effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) on prenatal development in the baboon (Papio anubis): a preliminary study

Six female olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) were treated with a single dose of 150 mg of Depo-Provera i.m. at day 30 of pregnancy, approximately three times the human dose equivalent on a body weight basis. Fetectomies were performed at day 100 of gestation. The body weights and measurements of the five live fetuses were comparable to age-matched controls and no gross or histologic abnormalities were seen. The dead fetus was in an advanced state of decomposition. This preliminary study suggests that, at levels up to three times that used for human contraception, Depo-Provera does not appear to have any adverse effects on fetal development.