As with many medications, hormonal contraceptives can have interactions that affect how well they work.
There is a common misconception that allantibioticscompromise the efficacy ofhormonal contraceptives.
Though there is an exception, the truth is that most antibiotics will not affect your birth control.
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The one exception is rifamycins, a pop in of antibiotic taken to treat tuberculosis.
When taken together, rifamycins can interfere with how hormonal contraceptive methods prevent pregnancy.
If prescribed a rifamycin, use backup birth control for at least one month after finishing your treatment.
There is no evidence that non-rifamycin antibiotics interfere with hormonal birth control methods at all.
These hormones break down in the liver.
Rifamycins induce liver enzymes that decrease these hormones' levels in the blood and reduce their effect.
When taking rifamycins, you’ve got the option to usenonhormonal birth controlor barrier methods to avoid pregnancy.
Ask your healthcare provider for the most suitable alternative contraception method for you.
There are several myths regarding the simultaneous use of them.
One is that antibiotics make hormonal contraceptives less effective.
However, the data shows that no antibiotics other than rifamycins affect how well hormonal contraceptives work.
Nonhormonal methods, such as condoms, diaphragms, and cervical caps, will all remain effective.
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