Depo-Provera and Meningioma
Last updated: October 4, 2026
If you used Depo-Provera for years and were later diagnosed with a meningioma, you have probably wondered whether the shot played a part. That is the medical question behind the lawsuits. This page explains what a meningioma is and what the studies found. It also explains why a higher risk across a group is not proof of what caused one person's tumor.
For the lawsuits themselves, see Depo-Provera lawsuits, and for where the case stands this month, see the Depo-Provera lawsuit updates. For the broader side effect profile, see Depo-Provera side effects.
This page is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Most people who use Depo-Provera will not develop a meningioma. If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor or have neurological symptoms, speak with a qualified physician.
Diagnosed with a meningioma after years of Depo-Provera shots? You can ask for a free case review. What a reviewer looks at is your injection history, your diagnosis date and your state's filing deadline. Pick the situation that fits:
Free and no obligation. Deadlines are set by your state and usually run from the date of diagnosis. Submitting a review request does not create an attorney-client relationship.
What Is a Meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor that develops in the meninges, the protective layers of tissue that surround the brain and spinal cord. Most meningiomas are noncancerous and slow growing. Many cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during imaging done for another reason, and some are simply monitored over time.
When a meningioma does cause problems, it is usually because of its size or location. As it grows, it can press on nearby brain tissue, nerves, or blood vessels. Depending on where it sits, that pressure can produce a range of neurological symptoms, and some meningiomas require surgery to remove or reduce them.
Symptoms of a Meningioma
Because symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor, they vary widely. Reported symptoms can include:
- Headaches, sometimes worse in the morning or with changes in position
- Vision changes, such as blurred or double vision
- Hearing changes or ringing in the ears
- Seizures
- Weakness or numbness in part of the body
- Memory problems, confusion, or changes in personality
- Loss of smell
Many of these symptoms have causes unrelated to a brain tumor, and many meningiomas cause no symptoms at all. Only a physician, usually with imaging such as an MRI, can evaluate symptoms and make a diagnosis. This page is not a substitute for that evaluation.
What the Research Shows
Interest in a link between progestogens and meningioma grew with studies of medroxyprogesterone acetate, the drug in Depo-Provera. These are the findings the debate turns on:
- The BMJ, March 2024 (Roland et al.). In absolute terms, about 5 in 10,000 women with more than a year of use needed surgery for a meningioma. Without it, the figure was about 1 in 10,000. Those absolute figures come from a summary by the Reproductive Health Access Project. The French national study compared women who had that surgery with women who had not. For medroxyprogesterone acetate it reported an odds ratio of 5.55 (95% confidence interval 2.27 to 13.56).
- JAMA Neurology, 2025 (Xiao et al.). A U.S. study reported 2.43 times the risk of meningioma among women who received the injection. The higher risk was concentrated in women who used it for more than four years or were over 31.
- Cancers, 2024 (Griffin). A U.S. study of Medicaid records reported a link between medroxyprogesterone acetate and meningiomas of the brain. The link grew stronger the longer the drug was used.
- Earlier research. Case reports and small studies going back decades raised the question of whether hormones help these tumors grow. Many meningiomas carry hormone receptors.
An odds ratio of 5.55 sounds large. It measures how much more often the tumor showed up in one group than in another. Because meningiomas that need surgery are rare, a large ratio can still mean a small number of extra cases. That is why the absolute figures matter.
All of these studies look at the same drug used in Depo-Provera, and the risk shows up with prolonged use. That is the pattern at issue in the lawsuits.
Research describes groups of women, not you. What matters for any one person is when the injections started and stopped, when the tumor was found, and how long her state allows to file. A free review can sort through those dates with you.
Get a Free Depo-Provera Case ReviewRegulatory Attention and the FDA Label Change
European and Canadian regulators acted first. Between 2022 and 2024 they added meningioma warnings to high-dose progestogen labels, including products related to medroxyprogesterone acetate. In 2024 the FDA turned down a request to add a warning in the United States. Pfizer submitted an amended application in 2025, and the FDA approved a label change in December 2025 for Depo-Provera CI and Depo-SubQ Provera 104.
The U.S. label now says meningiomas have been reported after repeated use, mostly long-term use. It tells doctors to watch for signs of a meningioma and to stop the drug if one is found. Pfizer says it stands behind the safety and effectiveness of Depo-Provera.
Association Is Not the Same as Cause
Precision matters here. When a study reports an association, it means a group with long exposure had meningiomas at a higher rate than a comparison group. That does not prove the drug caused any one person's tumor.
Meningiomas happen in people who never used Depo-Provera, and most people who use it will never develop one. Whether the drug caused one person's tumor depends on the diagnosis, how long she used it, her medical records and other facts. Courts look at exactly that question closely.
Who May Be Affected
The concern is long-term use, not a single shot. The people most discussed in the lawsuits used Depo-Provera over a long period and were later diagnosed with a meningioma. If that describes you, see a doctor for the health questions. For the legal questions, talk to a qualified lawyer.
How This Connects to the Lawsuits
Women who used Depo-Provera long term and were later diagnosed with a meningioma have filed lawsuits. The federal cases are grouped in one court, MDL 3140, in the Northern District of Florida. Our main guide explains the claims and how that court works. Whether any one situation supports a claim depends on the records and the filing deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Depo-Provera cause a brain tumor?
Studies published in 2024 and 2025 reported a higher risk of meningioma, a usually noncancerous brain tumor, with long-term use of medroxyprogesterone acetate, the drug in Depo-Provera. The absolute risk is small. A higher risk across a group does not prove the drug caused any one person's tumor, and most people who use Depo-Provera will never develop one. Questions about a diagnosis belong with a doctor.
What is a meningioma?
A meningioma is a tumor that forms in the meninges, the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. Most meningiomas are noncancerous and slow growing, but depending on size and location they can press on the brain and cause symptoms, and some require surgery. Many are also found incidentally and monitored over time.
What are the symptoms of a meningioma?
Symptoms depend on the size and location of the tumor and can include headaches, vision or hearing changes, seizures, weakness, memory or personality changes, and other neurological symptoms. Many meningiomas cause no symptoms at all. Any concerning or persistent neurological symptom should be evaluated by a physician.
Is the link between Depo-Provera and meningioma proven?
Studies have reported a link between long-term use of medroxyprogesterone acetate and meningioma. A link in a study means a higher rate in an exposed group. It is not proof the drug caused any one person's tumor. Whether a particular case supports a legal claim is a separate question for a qualified lawyer.
Request a Depo-Provera Case Review
If you or someone in your family used Depo-Provera and was later diagnosed with a meningioma, you can request a free case review on Lawsuit Center. There is no obligation.
Educational purposes only. Submitting a form on Lawsuit Center does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Sources
- Roland N. et al., intracranial meningioma and progestogen use, The BMJ, 2024.
- Xiao et al., depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and risk of meningioma in the US, JAMA Neurology, 2025.
- Griffin, medroxyprogesterone acetate and cerebral meningioma in Medicaid data, Cancers, 2024.
- Reproductive Health Access Project, summary of the Roland and Xiao findings (absolute risk figures).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Depo-Provera CI and Depo-SubQ Provera 104 prescribing information, including the December 2025 meningioma label change.
- National health information resources on meningioma diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.
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