A 45-year-old member asked:
Do antibiotics make birth control ineffective?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A Verified Doctoranswered
Family Medicine 40 years experience
Yes: Women on contraceptives are advised to use an alternate method of birth control whenever they take antibiotics. They should use the alternate method throughout the course of antibiotics & through the end of current pack of pills.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 34-year-old member asked:
What is it about antibiotics that causes birth control pills to be ineffective?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Peter Karsantanswered
Dentistry 41 years experience
Bacteria: The bacteria in your gut that make the pill effective by converting it from inactive to active form are killed off by antibiotics.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Will antibiotics make birth control not as effective?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Peter Karsantanswered
Dentistry 41 years experience
YES: The antibiotic disrupts the bacteria in your gut that transform the bc pill into the active form.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
What amount less effective do antibiotics make birth control?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Dale Kristleanswered
Gynecology 42 years experience
None: most common antibiotics ( penicillins, cephalosporins, quinalones, bacterium, macrobid) do not affect contraceptive effectiveness. please ask about a specific antibiotic
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Can antibiotics interfere with birth control?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Alvin Linanswered
Geriatrics 32 years experience
Yes: We typically suggest that you use a second form of contraception while you're taking antibiotics, just to be on the safe side.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Related questions
A 37-year-old member asked:
Will birth control be affected by antibiotics?
Dr. Raj Syalanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 35 years experience
Yes: Some antibiotics can affect the effectiveness of birth control pills.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 20-year-old female asked:
Does antibiotics affect the birth control patch?
Dr. Hanford Yauanswered
Endocrinology 18 years experience
Depends on the drug: Only rifampin makes Ortho Evra patch less effective unlike oral contraceptives which is greatly affected by many antibiotics due to that fact that in ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 43-year-old member asked:
Antibiotics and birth control, is it okay to mix the 2?
Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Depends: Please let us know the specific antibiotic and oral contraceptive so we can check it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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A 43-year-old member asked:
When will my birth control work again after an antibiotic?
Dr. Elizabeth Reynosoanswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 19 years experience
One month: Patients who take antibiotics with birth control pills should use back up birth control like condoms for next month after using antibiotics to give th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
548 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
View all answers
A 35-year-old member asked:
Wanted to know if antibiotics interfere with birth control?
Dr. Heidi Fowleranswered
Psychiatry 27 years experience
Some do: Your pharmacist can change to see if a particular antibiotic will reduce effectiveness of your oral contraceptive.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
2.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 4, 2016
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