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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Do Antibiotics Interfere With The Effectiveness Of Birth Control Pills?

In the past while taking birth control pills, I was warned that antibiotics can affect their effectiveness. I've been on the depo-provera shot for 9 months now, and finally got past the breakthrough spotting phase. I recently took azithromycin for strep throat and found myself spotting/having a period (which has not happened since I began the depo shot). Is it possible the azithromycin could have affected the birth control?
Wed, 14 Jan 2015
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello,
Welcome to HCM.
I understand your concern.

Some antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline & rifampicine do affect metabolism of depo-provera and so they may decrease its effect but Azithromycin is not one of them.
So, don't worry. Taking Azithromycin will not affect the contraceptive effect of depo-provera.
Note: other drugs that affect depo-provera are medications for convulsions and steroid drugs. So they need to be avoided.

Hope this will be helpful.
Do ask if any further question is there.
Take care.
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Do Antibiotics Interfere With The Effectiveness Of Birth Control Pills?

Hello, Welcome to HCM. I understand your concern. Some antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline & rifampicine do affect metabolism of depo-provera and so they may decrease its effect but Azithromycin is not one of them. So, don t worry. Taking Azithromycin will not affect the contraceptive effect of depo-provera. Note: other drugs that affect depo-provera are medications for convulsions and steroid drugs. So they need to be avoided. Hope this will be helpful. Do ask if any further question is there. Take care.