How alcohol affects birth control
Does Alcohol Affect Plan B For women who struggle with heavy periods, painful ovulation, or other reproductive health issues, birth control pills are an effective option to help regulate their cycles and prevent pregnancy. While a brand name pill is the most common, generic medications can also be used.[1]But remember, if you miss or skip your pill doses, you may become pregnant. To avoid this, make sure you are taking your pill on time and at the same time each day.
How Does Alcohol Affect Plan B?
Alcohol is a substance that can have a wide range of effects on the body. Some of them are short-lived, and others can have more serious consequences.[2]
Using oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) with alcohol is not recommended because it increases your risk of heart problems and blood clots. Your healthcare provider may recommend a progestin-only pill or a more effective long-term birth control method instead.
Does alcohol affect the pill?
Alcohol can make it hard to remember to take your contraceptive pill. That’s why it’s always a good idea to plan ahead when you’re drinking.
Drinking can also make it more difficult to use a condom or other form of protection during sex. This could make you vulnerable to ovulation, which can lead to unintended pregnancy.[3]
If you do drink and forget to take your pill, it’s important that you don’t have any sex or sexual activity until you get up to date with your prescription. This is because ovulation can only occur one time after you miss a pill.
You should always take your pill at the same time every day. Taking it earlier or later than this increases your chances of missing a dose.
Another possible problem is that if you’re sick, your body won’t absorb the birth control pills properly. That means that if you’re pregnant or have an STI, your birth control pill may not be effective.
It’s also worth remembering that if you’re using birth control pills and drinking, your blood alcohol level will be higher than if you weren’t on the pill. [4]This can make it harder to control your alcohol intake and keep you intoxicated for longer.
Drugs booze and contraception
Birth control is used to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and it comes in many forms, from pills to patches to condoms. Among the most common methods is the oral contraceptive pill (OCP), which has been around for more than a century.
Oral contraceptives are a safe and effective way to protect women from pregnancy. They are also a good choice for those who need hormonal medications to treat health conditions like acne or endometriosis.[5]
However, drinking alcohol can cause you to forget doses of your OCPs or have trouble remembering when you need to use them. This can reduce the effectiveness of the pill and increase your risk of unintended pregnancy.
Taking the pill with a drink can also make you feel intoxicated more quickly than if you were sober. This can also make you forget to use a condom when you’re sexually active and put yourself at risk of STIs.
If you’re unsure about the effects of drinking and using a birth control method, talk to your doctor. He or she can advise you on the best option for your needs and help you choose a method that won’t interact with alcohol. Luckily, there are many OCP options that don’t have these interactions.[6]
On a serious note
If you’re on the emergency contraceptive Plan B (levonorgestrel) and drinking alcohol, it may have an effect. You could feel shaky, dizzy and experience a headache or weakness. However, consuming alcohol while on Plan B is not life threatening and alcohol does not affect the pill’s efficacy.
Alcohol is a chemical that’s created when yeast ferments sugars into ethanol. It’s a common substance in many drinks – wine, beer and spirits – and it has been consumed for most of human history. [7]It can be dangerous to drink too much or too often, but if you have a healthy body weight, eat a healthy diet and don’t smoke it isn’t necessarily harmful to your health.
If you’re struggling with alcohol use, try cutting down. It’s not as hard as you think and in the long term, it can have positive effects including lower blood pressure and better cholesterol levels. There are many ways to reduce your intake, including reducing the amount you drink and introducing regular exercise. If you’re not sure where to start, talk to your GP or a mental health counselor who can help. Take the Quiz to get matched with a specialist today! We may receive advertising fees from some of the websites we promote.
The morning after pill
Taking the morning after pill, also known as emergency contraception, can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89% when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. It isn’t a replacement for a birth control method, and shouldn’t be used as daily contraception.
While the pill is effective, there are some side effects, like nausea, dizziness and headaches. Luckily, most are mild and quickly go away after a day or two.[8]
Plan B is an oral emergency contraceptive pill, which comes in levonorgestrel (Plan B) and ulipristal acetate (ella). It should be taken immediately after sex to prevent ovulation and reduce the risk of pregnancy.
It’s not recommended to take alcohol while taking Plan B, as it can exacerbate the side effects. It’s important to remember that the birth control pill is about 91 percent effective with proper use.
A person who consumes alcohol while on the pill could get intoxicated very quickly and may vomit or forget to take their pills, which would make them less effective. [9]The alcohol also affects the liver, which can affect how the hormones in the birth control pill work.
In December 2018, the FDA made changes to the packaging of a morning-after pill, Plan B One-Step. The new labeling clearly distinguishes it from medication abortion pills, which are meant to stop a pregnancy after an egg has been fertilized and implanted in the uterus.
Does alcohol affect the morning after pill?
If you’re taking a birth control pill, it can be harder to drink alcohol. This is because your liver has to metabolise both the pill and the alcohol. It can mean that the effects of alcohol are longer and you may feel shakier than usual.[10]
However, this does not affect the effectiveness of your birth control. If you are drinking, you should try to take your pill in the morning and not the night before – that way it will still be effective.[11]
Alcohol can be dangerous when taken with medications. It can either block the absorption of other drugs, making them less effective, or it can increase the effect of those drugs to the point of danger.
In addition, if you’re not careful with your drinking, it could lead to an increased risk of STIs like HIV and hepatitis B or C. So it’s always best to be safe and avoid alcohol completely if possible.[12]
You can also avoid combining alcohol with contraceptives by using an alternative form of contraception, such as condoms or another form of long-term contraception. [13]You should speak to your doctor or pharmacist about your options before making any decision.
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it causes your body to lose water. Dehydration can impact on your sleep quality, so if you are going to drink, make sure to drink plenty of water before and after you’ve had a few drinks. It will help to slow the rate at which alcohol gets into your bloodstream and counterbalance any negative effects it can have on your sleep[14].
