The Science Behind Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal birth controls contain some combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin. Depending on which kind of birth control you use, these hormones work in your body to do at least one of the following:
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Prevent ovulation. Each cycle, the ovary releases a mature egg. This release is called ovulation. The days around your ovulation are the only time during each menstrual cycle that you can get pregnant. If you dont ovulate at all, you cant get pregnant.
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Keep sperm from making it to the uterus. Birth control can do this by causing your cervical mucusyouve probably heard this referred to as vaginal discharge to get thicker. Thicker cervical mucus makes it incredibly hard for sperm to swim to an egg.
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Make implantation unlikely. Hormonal birth control can make changes to your uterus lining that decrease the chances of a fertilized egg being implanted. Even if a sperm somehow makes it to an egg to fertilize it, you only get pregnant if it successfully implants in your uterine lining. No implantation, no pregnancy.
Rifampin can keep your birth control from doing its job by causing your liver to break down estrogen faster than it usually would. When estrogen gets broken down too quickly, it cant drive the changes in your body that normally keep you from getting pregnant.
Note: Copper IUDs dont use hormones to prevent pregnancy, so they wont be affected by any medicine that may change your hormone levels.
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What Happens If I Get Pregnant While I Am Using The Copper Iud
It is important that you see a doctor or nurse as soon as possible and have the IUD removed. The doctor or nurse will also need to rule out a pregnancy in your fallopian tubes . If the IUD is removed, you can continue the pregnancy or have an abortion. If the IUD cannot be removed and you continue the pregnancy, there is a higher risk of losing the pregnancy.
Video: Do Antibiotics Mess Up Your Birth Control
Hormonal birth control is more than 90% effective at preventing unwanted pregnancies when used correctly. But you could be taking it correctly and still be at risk of an unwanted pregnancy if you also happen to be taking certain medications or supplements.
The following prescription drugs and dietary supplements commonly affect how well birth control works:
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Some anti-seizure medications
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HIV medications
Before we talk about how your meds can interfere with your birth control, lets take a moment to understand how birth control works.
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Timing Of Removal If You Wish To Avoid Pregnancy
Scotchie says you can remove an IUD at any time. But if you want to prevent pregnancy right away, you need to use another form of contraception such as condoms or birth control pills until you want to become pregnant.
Talk with your doctor ahead of time to determine the right method of birth control for you. Examples of other reversible methods include:
- oral contraceptives
- birth control implant or shot
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You Can Actually Use The Copper Iud As Emergency Contraception
Many people dont realize this, but the copper IUD is an effective form of emergency contraception as long as its inserted within five days after unprotected sex, according to the ACOG. A 2012 meta-analysis published in the journal Human Reproduction looked at 42 studies and found that the copper IUD had a pregnancy rate of only 0.09% when it was used as a form of emergency contraception.
The copper IUD causes inflammation in the uterine lining and may prevent implantation of the developing embryo, Dr. Worly explains.
Of course, this isnt necessarily the most convenient form of emergency contraception. If you werent planning on getting an IUD, pill-based forms might make more sense for you depending on how easily youre able to access them versus an intrauterine device.
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How Do Antibiotics Affect Birth Control
Rifampicin affects the levels of contraceptive hormones present in the body, reducing the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives.
There are several ways pills can interact with each other, and affecting gut absorption is just one of them. Rifampicin also changes the levels of some of the liver enzymes chemicals that can affect the way we use hormones in the body.
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Will I Need To Use This Drug Long Term
Kyleena can be used as a long-term birth control option if needed. In fact, each Kyleena device is approved to prevent pregnancy for up to 5 years.
If you and your doctor determine that Kyleena is safe and effective for you, you can continue using this drug for longer than 5 years. However, in that case, youd need to have your Kyleena IUD replaced every 5 years. This is because each Kyleena IUD is only effective for up to 5 years.
Its possible to use Kyleena for birth control until you go through menopause and no longer need contraception.
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Which Antibiotics Affect Hormonal Birth Control
The only antibiotic that affects hormonal birth control is called rifampicin. Its a medication used for certain bacterial infections, including tuberculosis and some forms of meningitis.
The main reason why rifampicin is not compatible with hormonal contraceptives is that it affects the way the body metabolizes them. It speeds up the processing of contraceptives in the body and reduces the levels of the main components of birth control in the blood.
A systematic review published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in 2017 shows rifampicin increases the frequency of spontaneous ovulation in women taking hormonal contraceptives.
Rifampicin is the accepted international generic name for the drug across most of the world, but it is also known as rifampin in the U.S. Some manufacturers use specific brand names that can vary from country to country. The generic name should still be clear from the packaging. Rifampicin can sometimes come as part of a combined medication, a tablet that contains a mix of two or more drugs.
Contraceptives that are affected by rifampicin:
ontraceptives that are not affected by rifampicin:
Currently, hormonal contraceptives only work on female sex hormones, so there isnt a male hormonal contraceptive that can be affected by antibiotics. And antibiotics dont affect non-hormonal contraceptives like condoms or the copper IUD.
So My Antibiotics Are Affecting My Pill What Should I Do
First off, dont panic there are multiple options available. Depending on personal preference and duration of the course of antibiotics, there are several choices. The progestogen-only injection, an intrauterine system , and an intrauterine device are all unaffected by enzyme-inducing antibiotics.
You can switch to one of these methods temporarily, or you may wish to make a change on a more permanent basis. The Lowdowns contraception reviews are a great way to assess these alternatives and make an informed decision. With options to search for reviews based on side effects, both positive and negative, its an excellent way to access real-world responses to a variety of contraceptives. You can also find out more about switching contraception in this guide.
Condoms are also an alternative that can be used alongside the pill. If you wish to continue using your current hormonal contraception and the course of antibiotics is less than 2 months, it is important to discuss this with your doctor. You may be advised to take the pill in a different way, whilst also using condoms.
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What If My Healthcare Provider Prescribes Rifampin For Me
If your healthcare provider does prescribe rifampin to you, be sure to let them know if you are using a hormonal contraceptive.
Unless otherwise stated by your healthcare provider, you can still continue to take your pills as usual every day. However, during this time, itâs important to use non-hormonal birth control methods, like external or internal condoms, or abstain from sex as backup protection during rifampin treatment .
If you use birth control pills, consider following the recommendations for what to do if you miss two or more pills:
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Continue to use these non-hormonal backup methods for 7 days after you stop taking rifampin, provided you still have 7 hormone-containing pills left in your pack
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If there are fewer than 7 hormonal pills left in the pack after you stop taking rifampin, skip the hormone-free pills and start a new pack, but still continue to use back-up contraception for the first 7 pills of the pack .
If you are using another form of hormonal contraceptive, like the patch or ring, speak to your healthcare provider.
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What Does It Feel Like If Your Iud Moves
An intrauterine device or IUD is a popular birth control device. Symptoms of a moved IUD include being able to feel the IUD with your fingers or during sex, painful intercourse, abdominal cramping, foul-smelling vaginal discharge and fever. An intrauterine device or IUD is a popular birth control device.
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What Medications Make Mirena Less Effective
Some medications and herbal supplements are known to interact with the Mirena IUD. These may include substances like anti-anxiety drugs, anti-seizure medications or anticonvulsants, and blood thinners like warfarin.
Some antibiotics and St. Johns Wort, which is an herbal supplement sometimes used to treat symptoms of depression and mood disorders, may also possibly interact with Mirena.
How Does Mirena Removal Affect Fertility
Most womens fertility will go back to normal after Mirena removal, and they can get pregnant quickly. If a woman does not want to get pregnant after having an IUD removed, she should use another form of birth control.
We found no difference in 12-month pregnancy rates or time to pregnancy between former IUD users and users of other contraceptive methods. However, there was a clinically and statistically significant reduction in fertility in African American women.
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How Does Mirena Work
Mirena birth control works by releasing levonorgestrel. This hormone thins the lining of the uterus. It also thickens the mucus in the cervix.
As a result, sperm has a hard time moving and surviving in the uterus. This prevents pregnancy.
The thinning of the uterine lining can also reduce or stop menstrual bleeding.
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Is It Safe To Breastfeed While Using Kyleena
You may use Kyleena when you are breastfeeding. Kyleena is not likely to affect the quality or amount of your breast milk or the health of your nursing baby. However, isolated cases of decreased milk production have been reported. The risk of Kyleena going into the wall of the uterus or going through the uterus is increased if Kyleena is inserted while you are breastfeeding.
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How Is A Nexplanon Removed
It can be left in place for 3 years or it can be taken out sooner. A specially trained doctor or nurse will inject a small amount of local anaesthetic into the skin and will then make a small cut in the skin through which the Nexplanon will be removed. They will apply some paper stitches and a dressing to keep the area dry and clean. The dressing can be removed after a few days and the stitches can usually be removed after a week. The area may be a bit sore and bruised for a few days. If a Nexplanon is very difficult to feel under the skin it may not be so easy to remove. The doctor or nurse may refer you to a specialist centre to have it removed with the help of an ultrasound scan.
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Some Medications Can Negatively Impact The Efficacy Of Your Birth Control
Certain medications can render hormonal birth control methods, such as pills, patches, injections, and certain IUDs, less effective, according to the NHS.
Antidepressants and diabetic medications “are known to reduce the effectiveness of contraceptive pills. Anti-HIV medications can do the same,” reproductive endocrinologist and fertility physicianDr. Janelle Luk told INSIDER.
You may want to talk to your doctor about your birth control options if you’re currently taking or plan on taking any other medications or supplements.
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The Truth About Antibiotics And Birth Control
Q: I heard that antibiotics interfere with birth control pills, but Im on the birth control that gets implanted under my skin will antibiotics interfere with that too?
A: Im so glad you asked this question! This is one of the biggest medical myths of all time one that gets propagated in doctors offices, health clinics, hospitals, blogs, magazines and OK fine, student health centers every day. So now, for the first time ever in print online on this blog the TRUTH!
The only antibiotic that has ever been shown to interfere with birth control levels and effectiveness is a medicine called rifampin which is used to treat tuberculosis. Rifampin may also interfere with the birth control patch and vaginal ring so if you are taking it, be sure to use a back-up, non-hormonal form of birth control.
There are some other medications that can interfere with your birth control, however, and if you are taking any of them you should always use back-up contraception.
John A. Vaughn, MD
What The Research Says
Research indicates that most antibiotics do not have an effect on oral contraceptives.
And while earlier data reported that, in extremely rare circumstances, amoxicillin, ampicillin, metronidazole, and tetracycline have caused contraceptive failure, most researchers consider these studies to be too small to be conclusive.
The bottom line: Its safe to use most antibiotics with most birth control.
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What Are The Side Effects
The side effects and complications with all IUDs include:
- a small risk of developing pelvic infection in the first 3 weeks following insertion
- a small risk of perforation of the uterus during insertion
- a small risk of the IUD moving from its position or coming out
- a very small risk of ectopic pregnancy
People using copper IUDs may have:
- spotting, heavier and/or longer periods, which may settle after the first 36 months
People using hormonal IUDs may have:
- persistent or irregular bleeding and/or spotting for the first 35 months
- no periods at all or occasional light periods by 12 months
- hormonal side effects are rare and can include hair change, acne, headache and breast tenderness, which usually settle after the first 3 months
- ovarian cysts may occur when using the hormonal IUD however, most cysts will not cause pain and will settle without any treatment
Is It Actually Possible
Yes, you can get pregnant while using an IUD but its rare.
IUDs are more than 99 percent effective. This means that less than 1 out of every 100 people who have an IUD will become pregnant.
All IUDs hormonal, non-hormonal, or copper have a similar failure rate.
Read on to learn why this happens, your options for emergency contraception, when to take a pregnancy test, and more.
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Tldr Whats The Lowdown
- Most antibiotics are non-enzyme-inducing which means your contraceptive pill will continue to work just fine
- But some can cause vomiting or diarrhoea which you might also experience due to the illness itself this can affect the absorption of your pill
- Enzyme inducing antibiotics such as rifampicin or rifabutin can make some forms of contraception including the pill less effective
- Before starting a new medicine ask the health professional that prescribed it whether it will impact upon your pill
- In the rare case you are prescribed an enzyme inducing antibiotic, to make sure youre protected you could switch to an IUD, IUS or the injection or temporarily use barrier methods such as condoms
- Once you have completed your course of these antibiotics, you must continue to use any alternative contraceptive method for 28 days
The routine nature of the pill means taking it daily can be a well-versed habit and a somewhat subconscious ritual. So much so that, if we find ourselves needing other medication, we often dont even think of the pill as meds we are already taking.
But its important to remember that just like any other drug, over the counter or prescription, there are always possibilities of interactions. Antibiotics are no exception and an unplanned pregnancy as a side effect is possibly one wed rather avoid!
What Else Should I Know About Birth Control And Antibiotics
Some antibiotics can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Too much of this could mean your body canât absorb enough of the hormones in your birth control pills to prevent pregnancy.
Your body probably wonât take in enough hormones if you vomit or have a lot of diarrhea within 2 hours after taking a progesterone-only pill or less than 3 hours after taking a combined birth control pill. If this happens, take another pill right away, and your next pill at your regular time.
If you donât get sick again, youâre still protected against pregnancy. If your vomiting or diarrhea goes on for more than a day, your pill may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. Keep taking your pills but use a back-up birth control method and check with your doctor or pharmacist about what to do next.
Finally, remember that no birth control method prevents 100% of pregnancies. Youâll get the most protection from your hormonal birth control if you:
- Take your pills at the same time each day.
- Keep patches in place and change them once a week.
- Get your shot on schedule every 3 months.
- Replace your vaginal ring as often as directed.
Show Sources
Valerie French, MD, MAS, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City.
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology: âDrug interactions between non-rifamycin antibiotics and hormonal contraception: A systematic review.â
National Health Service: âWill antibiotics stop my contraception working?â
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