Antibiotics and birth control don’t go well together if you’re using oral contraceptives. Certain antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of hormone pills and increase the chances of getting pregnant. The instructions for use of the pill you are using should contain information about the drugs with which it interacts, which decreases its effectiveness. In addition, when the doctor prescribes any drug treatment, whatever the health problem, you must inform him that you are using oral contraceptives.

To prevent an unwanted pregnancy, while taking antibiotics and birth control pills in parallel, you should use a complementary method of contraception: condoms, diaphragms, or spermicides are common alternatives. You should ask your doctor how long it will take to double the birth control method. Sometimes you may need to use an additional method for up to a week after stopping the antibiotic, to ensure that the protection offered by the hormonal pill is at the optimal level.

Don’t take things lightly when it comes to antibiotics and birth control. Here is a list of medications known to interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. However, this list is by no means exhaustive.

-penicillin;
-amoxicillin, ampicillin, rifampicin;
-tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, etc.

These drugs tend to work differently in combination with birth control. Sometimes, they interfere with hormonal differences that prevent pregnancy from occurring. Estrogen levels are usually the most affected in such circumstances. Antibiotics increase the secretion of enzymes in the liver, and these enzymes attack estrogen, reducing its level in the body system.

By following the correct procedures, antibiotics and birth control can be safely combined without any drawbacks. Talk with your doctor to identify the best ways to keep your birth control effective while you’re taking antibiotics. Do not stop using the hormonal pill suddenly because this could have very serious negative effects on the body. In case the spouse is taking antibiotics, their treatment does not pose any risk to the effectiveness of the birth control.

The whole issue of antibiotics and pregnancy control has sparked a great debate. There is a lot of confusion about how to combine the two treatments, however, the woman should not overanalyze the situation and find problems where there are none. Her body awareness allows her to determine if something is wrong inside and then she can point it out to the doctor.

If not, you just need to make sure you use an extra barrier during intercourse. Nothing else!