Is the combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) contraindicated in women with epilepsy?
No. Epileptic women can use oral contraceptives safely, but some drugs (Phenobarbitol, Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, Primidone, Ethosuxamide and Topiramate) used in the treatment of epilepsy may reduce the contraceptive effectiveness of combined OCPs. The use of combined OCP preparations containing more than 35 ug of ethinyl estradiol is recommended for contraception in conjunction with these medications but other alternative contraception options should be considered first. Certain antiepileptic drugs may have teratogenic effects and therefore contraceptive reliability is important for a woman with epilepsy.
