To be very realistic, the answer is yes. None of any contraceptive is 100% effective in preventing the pregnancy, and so is the pill.
What are the factors that reduce the effectiveness of pill?
If taken with proper care and prescribed methods, pills are more than 99% effective. Means only one woman gets pregnant with a pill in one year. However, some health issues, medications and lifestyles may alter the pill’s effectiveness. Some of them are:
- Some medicines and antibiotics.
- Health conditions like vomiting and severe diarrhoea.
Are birth control pills affected by other medicines?
Hormonal contraceptives are highly prone to interact with other medications. Many other medicines can reduce its effectiveness and a woman must keep extra caution with taking any other treatment with hormonal contraceptives.
Make sure you consult doctor before taking it with other medications, other wise you are most likely to get pregnant even on the pill.
How other medicines diminish the effectiveness of birth control pills?
The active ingredients of birth control contraceptives are hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which prevent ovulation and protect you from pregnancy. Most medications possess enzyme inducers to exert their effects. These enzyme inducers speed up the processing and metabolism of hormones inside your body. So, when these enzyme inducers interact with contraceptive hormones, they lower hormonal levels and lessen their effectiveness.
Variety of medications possess enzyme inducers including:
- Epileptic drugs
- Anti-depressants
- HIV medications
- Weight control medicines
- Fungal control medicines
- Some natural herbs and medicines
So, a women must take specific advice with her doctor before starting any medicine along with birth control pill.
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