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Can Antibiotics Mess Up Your Birth Control? An OB-GYN Explains
In this video, OB-GYN Kecia Gaither, MD, explains whether antibiotics affect the efficacy of birth control options.
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Mera Goodman, MD, FAAP
Updated on February 4, 2025In this video, learn if you should be concerned about the effectiveness of your oral contraceptive while taking an antibiotic, according to OB-GYN Kecia Gaither, MD.
Additional Medical Contributors
- Kecia Gaither, MD, MPH, MS, MBA, FACOGDr. Gaither, an ob-gyn and maternal fetal medicine specialist, is director of perinatal services at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, a member of NYC Health + Hospitals System in Bronx, New York.
References
Planned Parenthood. (2019). Can antibiotics affect my birth control?
Simmons, K. B., et al. (2017). Drug interactions between rifamycin antibiotics and hormonal contraception: A systematic review. BJOG.
View All References (1)
Simmons, K. B., et al. (2017). Drug interactions between non-rifamycin antibiotics and hormonal contraception: A systematic review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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