Scarleteen

Hey Scarleteam,

I recently went on antibiotics for an infected bug bite right before I got my period for this month (last Tuesday). My dude and I had sex a few days afterwards, without a condom. He didn't finish inside me and I started a new pack of birth control pills on Sunday. I now have condoms and plan on using them every time. I've done some research about antibiotics and birth control interference and have found some contradicting theories. I guess what I'm wondering is if there is a real threat of pregnancy since we technically didn't use a back up birth control method (I don't count the pull out method because of it's success rate), even though he didn't finish inside me and I'm on the pill. I'm already pretty sure that there is a minimal to non existent possibility that I'll get pregnant, just looking for some reassurance/opinions about this.

Thanks!

Hi there stlyogi9,

Although it's impossible to give you an exact calculation of your risk of pregnancy, what you're describing would be considered an incident of low risk. Like you said, while the pull-out method has a lower success rate on its own, when paired with consistent use of an oral contraceptive, it further reduces the risk of pregnancy from what was already fairly low. More info on that can be found in The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method.
In terms of antibiotics, the latest research generally says that most antibiotics do not interfere with the effectiveness of birth control. Something You Can Worry About Less: Interference and Hormonal Birth Control talks about this a little bit and gives access to some research as well.

You mentioned that you plan to use condoms from here on out though - did looking into this type of research make you want to make that change? How does your partner feel about it?

The research I did definitely made me reconsider using condoms all the time. My gyno also encouraged me to do that all the time unless I am consistently having sex with the same person. My guy is fine with using them but if we become exclusive (which we basically are anyway) then we might not use them as much. I might want to use them until next month/my next period because I'm not sure how long antibiotics stay in someone's system.

A good general rule with anything that might interfere with the pill is that you use a backup method until the end of the pack in which the pill's effectiveness may have been compromised. Really, though, it sounds like you'd be more comfortable using condoms all the time, and that's something we recommend as well: two methods used together offer the most protection.

Just as an FYI, we do have a policy that we will generally not answer ANY questions about pregnancy fear or anxiety in our direct services from users who are not pregnant or who are not or have not otherwise been directly involved with an actual pregnancy.

Because of that policy, I'm going to go ahead and lock this thread: if you would like to talk about any of the topics below, please start a new thread.

We CAN and WILL talk about things like:
• choosing and using a method or methods of contraception for any future sexual activity
• creating your own sexual limits and boundaries based on your needs and/or presenting them to any partners
• making sexual choices that suit your own needs, abilities and limitations, including your own readiness for certain possible risks
• help locating or using emergency contraception if and when you have had a pregnancy risk
• discussing options with a real, existing pregnancy, and help finding and accessing those options, such as abortion services and pre-natal care, or discussing feelings or concerns about a past pregnancy
• help with anxiety like locating mental health services, sound self-help or asking for support from friends or family

You might also find the following articles helpful:
For help dealing with a scare (including what poses a risk and your next steps based on your unique situation), you may use our tool on site built for this purpose: The Pregnancy Panic Companion.
For help with anxiety, click here.
For related help and information at Scarleteen, click here.
If you would like more information about this policy, click here.