Cilest contraceptive pills were withdrawn from the market because there is a risk that they may be ineffective due to the slower release of one of the active ingredients. What is the case with the other birth control pills? Their effectiveness depends primarily on their systematic use. The pills should be taken every day and at the same time. However, a few hours late or taking the pill for only 21 days of the cycle reduces its effectiveness, which is not 99, but only 92 percent. Check the effectiveness of contraceptive pills and what substances reduce their effect.

How do contraceptive pills work?

There are hormones in a woman's body that control the release of an egg from the ovary during ovulation and prepare the body to receive a fertilized egg. Hormonal contraceptives, such as birth control pills, contain a small amount of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones not only inhibit the action of natural hormones and stop the ovulation process, thus preventing pregnancy, but also:

  • change the properties of the cervical mucus and the lining of the womb, making it unable to accept a fertilized egg;
  • they make the mucus at the entrance to the uterus thick, preventing sperm from passing through.
Important

Cilest withdrawn from pharmacies

Johnson & Johnson has decided to recall 179 batches of Cilest contraceptive pills from wholesalers and pharmacies in 43 countries, including Poland. According to information provided on the Polish website of Johnson & Johnson, the company decided to withdraw Cilest, "due to the fact that the release of the active ingredient of the product is slower than it is defined in the specification". It is probably about a slower than expected release of one of the hormones contained in the tablets.

Contraception methods - what should you know about them?

Effectiveness of birth control pills

The condition for the effectiveness of contraceptive pills is their systematic use. The tablets should be taken every day and at the same time of the day. This is a prerequisite for maintaining the required levels of hormones. The effectiveness of the tabletscontraceptives, regardless of whether they contain estrogen and progesterone or only progesterone, with standard use (for 21 days of the cycle) it is 92%. This means that 8 out of 100 women could become pregnant in the first year of taking the contraceptive pill. With very careful use of the contraceptive pill (for the 28 days of the cycle), only 1 in 100 women is likely to become pregnant unplanned in the first year of taking the pill. Therefore, the use of birth control pills as prescribed by a doctor makes them more effective at 99%.

What reduces the effectiveness of birth control pills?

Drugs

  • antibiotics (ampicillins or tetracyclines),
  • preparations containing rifampicin, barbiturates, phenytoin, cholestyramine, primidone, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate, hydantoins.
  • griseofulvin - a drug used to treat fungal infections;

Healing charcoal

Another drug that reduces the effectiveness of contraception is medicinal charcoal. However, it only limits the absorption of the pills when you take it at the same time as the contraceptive pill. This is because carbon absorbs all medications taken orally on its surface, which reduces their effectiveness.

Preparations containing St. John's wort

Hyperforin contained in St. John's wort increases the liver's efficiency, which breaks down drugs faster and eliminates them from the body. As a result, estrogen may not be able to stop the secretion of follitropin (FSH), which contributes to the development of the Graafian follicle (consisting of the egg). Therefore, additional contraceptive methods such as condoms should be used when taking birth control pills and St. John's wort.

Important

Read the pill leaflet carefully. It should tell you which drugs interact with the pills and make them less effective.

Category:

Pregnancy