Does Taking Vitamins Affect The Contraceptive Pill?

If you are using oral contraceptives for birth control, it is important that you do whatever necessary to ensure they remain effective. But you don't want to skip the multivitamins--is it ok to take these medications at the same time, or do you need to allow some space between the doses?

Oral Contraceptive Overview

Oral contraceptives, also called birth control pills or even simply "the pill," revolutionized contraception by allowing women to exert full control over their contraceptive choice. The University of Maryland reports that 100 million women all over the world use oral contraceptives, widely regarded as both safe and effective, for their birth control needs as of 2011.

Birth control pills contain synthetically produced hormones, either combined estrogen and progesterone or just progesterone. They prevent pregnancy by either preventing ovulation, making the uterine lining thin so eggs cannot implant there once fertilized or changing cervical mucus so it is more difficult for sperm to fertilize the egg. When used as indicated, oral contraceptives can be up to 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Most women do not follow the directions to the letter, however, so for most people birth control pills are between 93 and 97 percent effective. You need a prescription from your health care provider to obtain birth control pills.

Oral Contraceptives and Vitamins

Vitamins and oral contraceptives have been the subject of many studies, but the primary concern of researchers is how birth control pills impact vitamin and nutrient absorption. While no definitive recommendations have been made to women regarding changing their habits while taking oral contraceptives and vitamins, Colorado State University reports some interesting findings from past studies. For example, studies have shown that the way we metabolize vitamin B-6 changes when we take oral contraceptives. As of 2011, there are no recommendations to change vitamin B-6 intake while taking birth control pills.

While there have been some connections suggested between folic acid deficiency and oral contraceptives, researchers do not feel enough evidence has been gathered to demonstrate a clear connection. If you have concerns about your folate levels, talk with your physician about an oral contraceptive that contains a folic acid supplement.

Lower levels of vitamin C have been reported in women who take oral contraceptives, possibly due to differences in how women on birth control metabolize minerals. Currently, there are no recommendations to take additional vitamin C if you are on the pill.

Studies have shown that women who are taking oral contraceptives have a higher level of vitamin A in their bloodstreams. More research is needed to establish whether this is positive or negative overall, and recommendations for intake have not been changed for women who take the pill.

One situation in which you would need to alter your vitamin intake is if you have an already existing deficiency of vitamin B-2, or riboflavin. Because oral contraceptives have been shown to worsen vitamin B-2 deficiency, your physician will likely suggest a supplement regimen for you in this situation.

Possible Interactions With Oral Contraceptives

As of 2011, no scientific evidence has been presented that links vitamins to decreasing effectiveness of oral contraceptives. There are some medications and herbals that people who take birth control pills should be aware of, however.

Some antiepileptic, or anti-seizure, drugs have been shown to decrease the levels of hormones from birth control pills by up to 40 percent. Talk with your health care provider about what contraception choice is best for you if you have a seizure disorder.

Antibiotics have been widely reported to decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, but there has not been much scientific literature supporting this claim. To be on the safe side, your physician will likely recommend you use a backup method of birth control while you are taking antibiotics.

Other medications that may cause an interaction with oral contraceptives include antifungals, antiretrovirals and the herbal supplement St. John's wort. Discuss any medications or supplements you take regularly or occasionally with your health care provider in order to select the best contraception choice for you.

Other Considerations

Other than your medication regimens, there are other reasons that oral contraceptives might not be the best choice for you. If you smoke or have a history of heart disease or heart disease risk factors, estrogen-based contraceptives may present a risk of blood clots. There have also been increased cardiac risks reported in women who have been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, and in women who have a history of migraines. As a history of diabetes puts you at an increased risk for heart disease, if you have diabetes your health care provider may suggest you opt for another method of contraception. Women with liver disease may also be at risk from taking oral contraceptives.