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Does Diarrhea Reduce The Effectiveness Of Oral Contraceptive Pills?
Question: hello.
i am on the birth control pill and i have read severe diarrhea MAY cause the pill to lose its effectiveness, though my insert doesn't mention it.
i have had some loose bowels (level 6 some level 5 on the Bristol stool scale). mostly first thing when i awake. 8-10am maybe once between 5-7pm. i take my pill religiously between 10:15-10:30pm. my partner and i also use the pull out on top of the pill. my question is when do i need either abstain or use say a condom backup method with stools as mentioned above?
i am on the birth control pill and i have read severe diarrhea MAY cause the pill to lose its effectiveness, though my insert doesn't mention it.
i have had some loose bowels (level 6 some level 5 on the Bristol stool scale). mostly first thing when i awake. 8-10am maybe once between 5-7pm. i take my pill religiously between 10:15-10:30pm. my partner and i also use the pull out on top of the pill. my question is when do i need either abstain or use say a condom backup method with stools as mentioned above?
Brief Answer:
Use condoms along with pills
Detailed Answer:
Hello madam, thanks for trusting health care magic.
Yes you are absolutely right that diarrhea decreases the efficacy of oral contraceptive pills by increasing gastric motility and thus decreasing the enterohepatic recirculation of the hormones.
So you definitely need a back up method and just coitus interuptus will not prevent pregnancy.
So use condoms while having sex in this very cycle and then from next cycle onwards you can start the new pill pack.
All the best.
Regards
Dr Manisha
Use condoms along with pills
Detailed Answer:
Hello madam, thanks for trusting health care magic.
Yes you are absolutely right that diarrhea decreases the efficacy of oral contraceptive pills by increasing gastric motility and thus decreasing the enterohepatic recirculation of the hormones.
So you definitely need a back up method and just coitus interuptus will not prevent pregnancy.
So use condoms while having sex in this very cycle and then from next cycle onwards you can start the new pill pack.
All the best.
Regards
Dr Manisha
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What are the guidelines of determining when diarrhea is severe enough to impact the pill. is loose stools in that category? a certain number of times a day?
Brief Answer:
back up method of contraception is must
Detailed Answer:
No dear, it is not the number or frequency of stools which matter but the consistency i.e. loose stools for a complete day or more which will decrease the time of contact of the bowel content with the surface of absorption and thus the hormones secreted in bile are excreted in stools rather than getting absorbed from intestines.
So a back up is a must.
back up method of contraception is must
Detailed Answer:
No dear, it is not the number or frequency of stools which matter but the consistency i.e. loose stools for a complete day or more which will decrease the time of contact of the bowel content with the surface of absorption and thus the hormones secreted in bile are excreted in stools rather than getting absorbed from intestines.
So a back up is a must.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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