Hormonal Contraceptives/Artemether Interactions
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Serious. These medicines may interact and cause very harmful effects. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
When these two medicines are taken together, your body may process your birth control pill faster.
What might happen:
The effects of your birth control pills may decrease and cause breakthrough bleeding, spotting, or pregnancy. The effects of the interaction may last for several weeks after you stop taking artemether.
What you should do about this interaction:
Talk to your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor, pharmacist) as soon as possible about using a different form of birth control while you are taking artemether and for 28 days after stopping artemether. Contact your doctor if you experience breakthrough bleeding, spotting, or pregnancy.Emergency contraceptives may be less effective also. You may need a larger dose than normal. Discuss the dose and the need to confirm that you do not become pregnant with a pregnancy test with your healthcare professional.Your healthcare professionals may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
- 1.Coartem (artemether/lumefantrine) US prescribing information. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation August, 2019.
- 2.Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Clinical Effectiveness Unit. Clinical guidance drug interactions with hormonal contraception. January, 2011.
- 3.Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Levonorgestrel-containing emergency hormonal contraception: advice on interactions with hepatic enzyme inducers and contraceptive efficacy. available at: https://www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/levonorgestrel-containing-emergency- hormonal-contraception-advice-on-interactions-with-hepatic-enzyme-inducers -and-contraceptive-efficacy September 15, 2016..
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.