Remedies that cut the pill's effect

Some drugs can cut or lessen the effect of the pill, as they decrease the hormonal concentration in the woman's bloodstream, increasing the risk of unwanted pregnancy.

Check out a list of remedies that can cut or decrease the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill and the morning-after pill, even when the contraceptive is taken in the form of a pill, injection or patch.

Medicines that should not be used together with the pill

1. Antibiotics

Rifampicin and Rifabutin are the antibiotics normally indicated in the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy and bacterial meningitis that should not be used together with the birth control pill, as they cut their effect. Rifampicin and Rifabutin are enzyme-inducing drugs that increase the rate of metabolism of certain contraceptives, thereby reducing the amount of hormones in the bloodstream.

However, other antibiotics can reduce the effect of the contraceptive because they can destroy the intestinal flora and cause diarrhea, reducing the absorption of hormones. If this happens, it may be safer to use a condom during treatment with these drugs:

Azithromycin	Ampicillin
Nitrofurantoin	Amoxicillin
Clarithromycin	Griseofulvin
Metronidazole	Ciprofloxacino
Doxycycline	Penicillin
Tetracycline	Cefazolin
Levofloxacin	Cephalexin
Clindamycin	Dapsone
Erythromycin	Isoniazid
Phosphomycin	Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim

2. Other remedies

The drugs used to reduce or abolish seizures can also compromise the effectiveness of contraceptives in the form of pills, such as:

Phenobarbital; Primidone; Topiramate; Carbamazepine; Phenytoin; Hydantoin.

In addition to these remedies, HIV control remedies like Ritonavir and Nelfinavir also interact with contraceptives, reducing their effectiveness, especially in prolonged treatments, making it necessary to use a condom or IUD to prevent pregnancy. Learn about other contraceptive methods besides the pill.

3. Natural remedies

Herbal medicines, popularly known as natural remedies, also interfere with the effectiveness of the birth control pill. An example of a natural remedy that cuts interferes with contraceptive activity is Saw palmetto, which is a medicinal plant widely used to treat urinary problems and impotence. However, it has the opposite action to testosterone and may interact with estrogens present in oral contraceptives. Learn more about saw palmetto.

St. John's wort and racemous cimicifuge are also not suitable for consumption when using the contraceptive pill, as they alter the hormonal concentration in the bloodstream.

So, in case of using any of these medications, even though they are natural, you should use a condom in all relationships, but continue taking the pill normally. The pill's effectiveness should return on the 7th day after stopping the drug that compromised its effectiveness.