Can I take birth control if I have epilepsy?
Yes, women with epilepsy can safely use birth control to prevent pregnancy; however, some antiseizure medications and methods of hormonal birth control may interact. If you are thinking about starting a new method of birth control, talk with your neurologist and include them in the discussion with your primary care provider or gynecologist. It’s important to include your neurologist in the conversation because they may need to make changes to your antiseizure medication.
What are some common drug interactions?
If you are taking any of the following antiseizure medications, you may experience interactions with common birth control methods: lamotrigine (Lamictal), topiramate (Topamax), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene, Valproate, Divalproex Sodium). There are no known drug interactions between birth control methods and levetiracetam (Keppra). If you don’t see your medication on this list, please talk to your healthcare provider for more information.
Do hormonal or copper uterine implants interact with antiseizure medications?
No, there are no known interactions between the hormonal or copper intrauterine devices and antiseizure medications.
Do hormonal implants interact with antiseizure medications?
Yes. Some antiseizure medications interact with hormonal implants such as Nexplanon. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information
What is the safest method of birth control when taking antiseizure medications?
Condoms are the only method of birth control that also protect against sexually transmitted infections. It’s a good idea to use condoms in addition to another method of birth control.