Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Alcohol Consumption

The majority of women are interested in the question whether it is possible to combine Ortho Tri-Cyclen and alcohol consumption. This important question is answered by Jessica Sanderson, the specialist in modern hormonal contraception.

Beginning of birth control pills reception does not indicate the end of life. Of course, holidays, birthdays, corporate parties and romantic evening with a loved one may happen but there is no strict “prohibition”, you should not swing from one extreme to another, regularly consuming excessive doses of intoxicating potion. To be confident always in contraception reliability and to preserve reproductive health, you need to know some simple safety rules.

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Scientific research has proven that ethanol, which is part of any alcoholic beverages in itself does not reduce the contraceptive effect of birth control pills because assimilation and elimination processes in these products originate in different ways. Consequently, *moderate amounts of alcohol do not destroy the contraceptive effect. But doctors cannot allow simultaneous use of intoxicating beverages and birth control pills – Ortho Tri-Cyclen (preferably maintained between these activities 3-hour intervals).

* Experts of World Health Organization (WHO) established the average allowable dose of alcohol for women taking birth control Ortho Tri-Cyclen. It is 20 mg of ethanol (equivalent to 50 ml of vodka, 200 ml of wine or beer 400 ml). Nevertheless, all organisms are individual, that’s why average dose may be reduced!

I want to immediately warn those who take the WHO recommendations too literally. Every day, “a little bit” alcohol is not good as well! This is especially true in case of young girls who are fond of beer drinking in the summer heat. Do not forget that daily intake of hormonal drugs is an additional burden on the liver, which is already enough loaded: foodstuffs are abundant with preservatives, enhancers, stabilizers; water and air are not of the best quality… Take care of your health and do not load liver function relating to more ethanol metabolization!

Furthermore, high doses of alcohol lead to organism intoxication. In response to the poisoning, vomiting can appear; the active ingredients of Ortho Tri-Cyclen do not have time to be absorbed, thereby reduction of the contraceptive effect takes place. Usually, we recommend taking an additional tablet if vomiting has occurred in the first 4 hours after birth control pills ingestion.

Another negative point: spotting may occur with the excessive taking of alcohol (even if the adjustment period is over and adaptive spotting is left in the past). The mechanism of this phenomenon is not yet understood, but it happens, unfortunately, quite often.

My Canadian Pharmacy points out that it is very important to take under control your health and misuse alcohol.