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Can You Take Birth Control and Antibiotics Together?

Birth control and antibiotics are typically spoken for as a bad couple. Are the rumors true? Can you take birth control and antibiotics together?

By Kelsey LangePublished 6 years ago 5 min read
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It's important to know which combinations of birth control and antibiotics do not clash, and which result in a chance to get pregnant. When in doubt, use a backup method of contraception like a condom if you are not positive on which choice to make, or if you cannot gain access to a professional's opinion. The combo of birth control and antibiotics might seem like a tricky topic, but truthfully it's pretty straightforward.

Fact or Fiction?

It's a well-known issue for vagina owners that birth control and antibiotics are not a good mixture. But how accurate is this cautionary tale?

The truth is, scientists have not found any information that leads to this being factual, despite the warnings. With one exception, rifampin, most antibiotics are completely fine to be taking when you are preventing pregnancy with birth control. A study was done in 2016 to prove this.

The most common antibiotics include penicillin and amoxicillin. These are used to treat bacterial infections like urinary tract infections, pneumonia, acne, the list goes on. It's okay to mix birth control and antibiotics if they are these common ones.

Other antibiotics that have not affected hormone levels include ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, ofloxacin, temafloxacin, tetracycline, clarithromycin, doxycycline, metronidazole, roxithromycin, and temafloxacin. This was even proved in a study conducted in 2002.

Why is this such a common misconception?

Though studies have proven that hormones will not be affected by antibiotics, your health care professional will likely advise you to use a second form of prevention. With this being said, you might be curious why this precaution is so commonly pushed.

Because antibiotics are used while you are typically sick, there are different factors that could result in birth control being less effective when you combine both birth control and antibiotics. For example, it's very important to know that if you have diarrhea or have thrown up within two hours after taking your birth control, there is a big possibility that the pill has not been absorbed correctly. This could easily result in your birth control ending up in the toilet, rather than in your system.

Antibiotics can have a history of side effects like morning sickness, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, like many medications. Though the antibiotic itself does not affect your birth control first-hand, its side effects are important to be aware of.

This is an easy fix, however. If this occurs right after you have taken your BC, you will have to start using a condom, or any other form of birth control, until you have reached your period at the end of the month. React as if you have missed a pill altogether. If this happens more than once, this decreases the effectiveness more each time.

Once a new packet of birth control is opened at the beginning of your month, given you take your birth control at the same time every day, your birth control should be as effective as possible, even if you are still taking birth control and antibiotics.

Rifampin

You will be prescribed the antibiotic rifampin (or rifabutin) if you have been diagnosed with tuberculosis, other bacterial infections, or to prevent the spread of meningitis. This medication has had a history of interfering with birth control because it decreases the hormone levels in your method of birth control. These hormone levels are important to prevent ovulation. The pill contains estrogen and progesterone while rifampin causes estrogen to be broken down quickly.

Types of birth control that has been affected by this antibiotic do not only include the pill, but the patch or ring as well—basically, forms of birth control that affect your hormones.

We encourage you to use a different type of contraception while taking this antibiotic that does not affect your hormones. Non-hormonal contraception options include the copper IUD, a diaphragm, a female or male condom, spermicide, a sponge, or a cervical cap. You don't even need to see a doctor for some of these.

Rifampin is typically prescribed for, at the minimum, six months; and this therapy can last up to nine months. You do not have to stop taking the pill or take off the patch or vaginal ring, but it would be smart to not rely on this method.

For example, if you are using oral contraceptives and do not want to interfere with your hormones or lifestyle by getting off the method, only to get back on in months time, then continue your schedule as normal. There have also been reports of irregular bleeding due to the use of this drug.

Research is always important.

Though most antibiotics do not affect your birth control’s effective rate, anti-seizure medications, anti-HIV protease inhibitors, and the drug griseofulvin that is used against fungus, have been proved to make birth control less effective. Examples of anti-seizure medications that reduce the effectiveness of the pill are carbamazepine, primidone, phenobarbital, and phenytoin.

It's important to research any type of medication that you will be putting into your body for side effects such as this. Be aware of what to expect and how to use it for the best outcome.

Also, how accurate are the precautions? Like many antibiotics, medications might have warnings for reasons besides the contents of the pills or injections such as side effects. Become aware of why you should or shouldn't be taking combinations. Many women are only using one medication, birth control. This makes the process of being aware even more simple.

To ensure your birth control is as reliable as possible, be sure to be using it as strictly as possible. There is always a one to eight percent chance of failure depending on the the way the contraceptive is taken.

If you are still concerned about the birth control and antibiotics combination, consult your doctor for their personal directions. Ultimately, your methods can remain unchanged. Birth control should not be affected by antibiotics besides rifampin.

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About the Creator

Kelsey Lange

Passionate about writing, animals, makeup, movies, friends, family, learning, exercising, and laughing!

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