Many unplanned pregnancies occur because women lack information on the possible consequences of combining antibiotics and birth control pills. Myths have been created over the years and lots of stories now dominate the Internet with serious warnings about the inefficiency of birth control pills when administered in parallel with antibiotics. Reality is nevertheless different from the scientific point of view, and here are a few things that may help you better understand how things stand.
The action of hormonal pills is usually impaired by one antibiotic in particular: rifampin. Generally speaking, when antibiotics and birth control are used in parallel, the efficiency of the contraceptives gets lower in for a limited number of women. Even if the incidence of such occurrences is reduced doctors advise for the use of a supplementary birth control method such as condoms. It is impossible to tell who will experience decreased efficiency, until it is too late.
Modern hormonal products seem to be more affected by the interactions between antibiotics and birth control. The explanation for this inconvenience comes from the low concentration of ingredients used so as to minimize side effects. Besides rifamin, you should also be cautious when using amoxacillin, penicillin, sulfonamide, ampicillin, minocycline, tetracycline and barbiturates.
Antibiotics and birth control pills do not make a good association because of the chemical reactions that take place in the liver. The antibiotics stimulate a more rapid breaking down of estrogens, and since these compounds are the main ingredients of birth control pills, the level of hormones in the blood will be lower. Although the situations when unplanned pregnancy appears in such conditions are not that numerous, caution is the best course of action.
All drug manufacturers will therefore mention the potential interference of antibiotics and birth control pills with the decrease of efficiency for the latter. Check with your physician about the importance of continuing the supplementary birth control use after the end of the treatment with antibiotics.
Some women choose to stop taking their birth control pills while following a treatment with antibiotics, but this is hardly a solution given how difficult it is for the body to adapt to these sudden hormonal changes. Talk to the health care provider before taking any drug specifying the fact that you are on birth control pills. There are lots of other drugs that could impair the efficiency of birth control. It's better to seek information than be sorry later.
Author Resource:
Brigitte Swanston is a morning sickness expert. For more great information on nausea during pregnancy , visit ." target="_blank">http://www.morningsicknesshelp-brigitte.com/morning-sickness-information/ .
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