The progestogen-only pill can interact with other medicines. Some of the more common interactions are listed below. However, this is not a complete list.
If you want to check that your medicines are safe to take with the progestogen-only pill, ask your doctor or pharmacist, or read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine.
Antibiotics
The antibiotics rifampicin and rifabutin can reduce the effectiveness of the progestogen-only pill. The other antibiotics do not have this effect.
If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, you may need to use additional contraception (such as condoms) while you are taking the antibiotic. Speak to your doctor or nurse for advice.
Other medicines
The progestogen-only pill can interact with medicines called enzyme inducers. These speed up how quickly your liver breaks down the hormone progestogen, reducing the effectiveness of the progestogen-only pill.
Examples are:
- the epilepsy drugs carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone and topiramate
- St John’s Wort (a herbal remedy)
- antiretroviral medicines used to treat HIV (research suggests that interactions between these medicines and the progestogen-only pill can affect the safety and effectiveness of both)
Your GP or nurse may advise you to use an alternative or additional form of contraception while you are taking any of these medicines.
