Antibiotics may lessen effectiveness of hormonal contraception
Antibiotics may lessen the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives, finds an analysis of unwanted side effects associated with the combined use of these drugs, and published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.
Women on the Pill should be advised to take extra precautions to avoid unintended pregnancy, when prescribed antibiotics, advise the researchers.
Suspicions that antibiotics, particularly those that cover a wide range of bacteria, known as broad spectrum antibiotics, might reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives, date back to 1973. Since then several anecdotal reports have also implicated various antibiotics in weakening the effects of hormonal contraceptives.
Published studies have either suggested that antibiotics and hormonal contraceptives don't mix, but haven't provided conclusive evidence, or have concluded that there isn't any evidence of interference.
Current advice, which is based on a few small studies, is that antibiotics, other than those that prompt the production of certain enzymes, don't interfere with hormonal contraceptives.
To explore this further, the researchers drew on reports of suspected unwanted drug side effects, known as 'Yellow Cards', flagged up by clinicians and the public to the UK's drug and medical devices regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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