Can antidepressants be taken alongside birth control?

Most antidepressants that doctors prescribe to treat depression and other health conditions are generally safe to take with birth control medications.

However, certain drugs may interact with birth control by changing the hormone levels in your body, potentially reducing birth control efficacy. If you’re taking antidepressants alongside birth control and are concerned about whether this will affect the effectiveness of your contraception, consider speaking with a healthcare professional.

Can antidepressants be taken alongside birth control?

It is generally safe to take antidepressants alongside birth control medications. A 2016 review found no significant evidence that suggests any interaction between birth control and antidepressant medications.

The review also looked at what antidepressants were safe to take alongside birth control medications and highlighted the following:

• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as citalopram (Celexa) and fluoxetine (Prozac)
• tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and desipramine (Norpramin)
• serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also states that no relevant evidence suggests that birth control medications reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants. However, the evidence is currently limited, and more research is needed.

It’s important to know that some herbal remedies for depression, such as St John’s wort, have the potential to interact with and reduce the effectiveness of contraceptives.

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Side effects of taking antidepressants with birth control

People do not typically experience complications from taking birth control medications alongside antidepressants. Any side effects that may occur are generally not linked to a drug interaction but to the side effects of each singular medication.

The side effects of antidepressant drugs may differ depending on the type of antidepressant the doctor prescribes. These may include:

• headaches
• drowsiness
• nausea
• loss of appetite
• weight gain
• dry mouth
• upset stomach

Birth control side effects may include:

• headaches
• nausea
• breast tenderness
• mood changes
• blood clots

Side effects typically occur when you start taking these drugs and usually go away after some time. However, if they are causing you discomfort or you have any concerns about your health, you should speak with a doctor and report your symptoms.

Are there any drugs you should not take while on birth control?

Several drugs may not be suitable to take while on birth control. These include medications that may cause diarrhea as a side effect, as this can affect how your body absorbs the combined or progestogen-only pill and reduces its contraceptive effect.

Medications that increase particular enzymes in your body can also affect hormonal contraception, such as:

• the pill
• the vaginal ring
• the patch
• the implant

This is because the enzyme speeds up the processing of certain contraceptive hormones, reducing their levels in the bloodstream quicker and decreasing your protection from pregnancy. Medications that can affect hormonal contraception include:

• certain drugs used to treat epilepsy
• St John’s wort
• certain antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV
• rifampicin-like antibiotics

However, this does not affect every type of birth control method. Contraception methods not affected include:

• intrauterine device (IUD)
• progestogen-only injection
• intrauterine system (IUS)

If you are about to begin a new medication, your doctor can advise you if it is safe for you to do so while on birth control. They can also suggest whether the new medication will likely make contraception less effective and if another contraceptive method will be better.

What are your chances of getting pregnant on birth control and antidepressants?

No significant scientific evidence suggests that taking antidepressants can reduce the effectiveness of birth control and increase the chances of getting pregnant. People can typically keep taking their birth control medications alongside antidepressants without interference.

A 2016 study also suggests that taking antidepressant medications may reduce a person’s chances of getting pregnant. However, it was noted that depression may be the underlying cause, so further research is still needed to understand if there is a link.

Speaking with a doctor can help you understand whether taking certain medications while on birth control may reduce efficacy.

Summary

Overall, it is typically safe to take antidepressant drugs alongside birth control medications as there is no significant scientific evidence of interactions between them. Side effects associated with combining these medications are typically attributed to individual drug effects rather than interactions.

However, other drugs, like those that cause diarrhea or affect hormone levels, like enzyme-inducing medications used for treating epilepsy, may reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraception.

If you are taking antidepressants alongside birth control and are concerned about whether this will affect the effectiveness of your contraception, consider speaking with a healthcare professional.

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