What Drugs Affect Birth Control?

Many women take birth control to prevent pregnancy or to regulate their menstrual cycles. There are certain medications that when taken in conjunction with birth control can reduce its effectiveness.

Epilepsy Medications

• Certain medications that treat epilepsy can react with birth control pills by breaking down the hormones and reducing their effectiveness. They are referred to as "liver enzyme-inducing" medications due to the liver being the site of where hormones are broken down; examples of these medicines include primidone, Valproate, phenobarbital, Felbatol and Keppra.

Sleep Disorder Medications

• Sleep disorder drugs to treat narcolepsy, sleep apnea and related disorders are among those that can affect birth control. Provigil is a popular treatment drug that reduces the effectiveness of birth control, as does Nuvigil.

Common Medications

• Rifadin, an antibiotic, can alter birth control's ability to prevent pregnancy. Other antibiotics used for treatment do not affect birth control. Medications taken orally to treat yeast infections can reduce the effectiveness of birth control as well, as can the supplement St. John's wort.

HIV Medications

• Certain drugs used to treat HIV can reduce the effectiveness of birth control. Individuals with HIV or AIDS should consult with their doctor to see if their medications will affect birth control.

Considerations

• When you choose to take birth control, the best course of action is to discuss with your primary care doctor any medications that you are currently taking that could alter the effectiveness of the birth control. Your doctor can then prescribe a form of birth control that will be the most effective.