The Pill and antibiotics, FYI

[luvwinnie]

Just found this. I thought it was still believed that most antibiotics do affect the pill:

Do antibiotics make birth control pills less effective?
Early data about 20 years ago seemed to indicate that when antibiotics were taken along with birth control pills, more women got pregnant than you would normally expect. Drugs like ampicillin and tetracycline were suspected to interfere with OCPs (3). However, all of the recent studies that have looked at this, have shown that antibiotics do not increase the pregnancy rate at all (4) and they point out that the old data was not reliable enough to draw conclusions about pregnancy rates on any of the antibiotics (5).

Some antibiotics have been studied and shown not to affect the metabolism of OCPs. Ciprofloxcin (Cipro ®) is one that does not seem to alter metabolism (6). Fluconazole (Diflucan ®) does not decrease estrogen levels in pill users; if anything, it raises estrogen levels (7).

 

[graygables]

Well, in my case antibiotics affected the BCP 100% of the time. I delivered DD1 9 months after a bronchial infection was treated with some high-powered something (and I was on a high-powered BCP!). I delivered DD2 9 months after another kind of infection w/ antibiotics (and a high-powered BCP) *and* a "back up" method. My take on it...you don't want babies, don't do the deed.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Why do they still put the warnings in BC pill directions?

 

[bellacam]

This would be news to my sister too. I am happy to say in about 6.5 months I'll have a new little niece or nephew. Coincidently, that will be 9 months since my sister was treated with antibiotics for an infection after having her wisdom teeth out!

 

[luvwinnie]

Well, in my case antibiotics affected the BCP 100% of the time. I delivered DD1 9 months after a bronchial infection was treated with some high-powered something (and I was on a high-powered BCP!). I delivered DD2 9 months after another kind of infection w/ antibiotics (and a high-powered BCP) *and* a "back up" method. My take on it...you don't want babies, don't do the deed.

Yikes!

 

[luvwinnie]

Why do they still put the warnings in BC pill directions?

I am wondering that too. Maybe because nothing is for sure and they need to cover their butts.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Well that wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Megster]

Whenever I'm given antibiotics I'm warned by both the doctor and the pharmacist that they decrease the effectivity (is that even a word??) of the pill and to use a back-up method until my next cycle.

 

[kidzmom3]

i also got pregnant twice on the pill. The first time I was on low dose (triphasil) and was taking macrobid for an infection.

the second time I was on the higher strength (ortho novum), I did not take antibiotics that time.

I did take them every day, within the same 1/2 time frame. So the moral to my tale, i think antibiotics do affect the pill, and even if taken correctly, the pill does not work for all people.

 

[Beth76]

I was on an antibiotic a few months ago and my pharmacist told me that while the particular one that I was on probably wouldn't affect the BCP, he would still recommend I be careful. I'll be careful any day over being surprised later.

 

[tmt martins]

My brothers 2nd and 3rd are from OOPS i forgot I was on AntiBio's maybe I should have mentioned it.SIL is such a class act.

 

[Grendalynn]

This is an interesting thread! Although I am expecting, it was 120% planned and was not a side effect of Antibiotics.

I had mentioned this to my mid wife - she said it is not proven that antibiotics counteract with BCPs.. but more so that is a trick on the mind. As you get in the habit of taking your new perscription, many women forget to take the "other" daily pill. Its scyphological that you have already taken "something" and so you forget to take the other as well..... Not sure if this is fact or fiction, but DHs cousin concieved once or twice around the time of a kidney infection....

 

[DebbieB]

deleted

 

[mrsgus06]

Do antibiotics make birth control pills less effective?
Early data about 20 years ago seemed to indicate that when antibiotics were taken along with birth control pills, more women got pregnant than you would normally expect.

You're a little too late with the information above! My son will be 20 in May....20 years after being on antibiotics for strep throat!

 

[DisneyHumbug]

luvwinnie - where did you get this info from?

 

[MrsKreamer]

There is also new evidence that the BCP is less effective for obese women...gee I wish someone would have told me that two BCP pregnacies later

 

[Davids-Coco]

There are some antibiotics that will not affect BCP, but that is CERTAIN combinations. I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen and Minocyclene for years with no problem... Just in case you ask, I stopped both before getting pregnant (Minocyclene isn't safe while pg and my acne came right back).

That said, my dr did tell me for years that antibiotics wouldn't affect the pill and I never had an issue. IMO, its still a little debatable. I agree that with the warning still out there, if you do the deed, you need to be prepared for anything that may happen 9 months later.

 

[tar heel]

Was Cipro around 20 years ago?

I technically didn't get pregnant on BCP, but I did immediately after switching to another method -- had a round of antibiotics that month, too.

 

[luvwinnie]

luvwinnie - where did you get this info from?

It was from a study, I'll try to find it again.

 

[Msslaydbug]

Mine wasn't from the antibiotics - it was from the FLU. I wasn't smart enough to realize that when you have the flu you are throwing up EVERYTHING !! My little Flu baby will be 9 this August !