Combined oral contraceptive pill (the Pill), Contraceptive patches, Vaginal rings

The following information applies to you if you take lamotrigine

Research on a small group of women has shown the following.

• The Pill, contraceptive patches and vaginal rings may reduce the amount of lamotrigine in your bloodstream. This would make you more at risk of having seizures. 
• Lamotrigine may make the Pill, contraceptive patches and vaginal rings work less well. This would make you more at risk of an unplanned pregnancy.

If you take lamotrigine and want to take the Pill, or use contraceptive patches or vaginal rings, it’s advisable to discuss this further with your doctor or epilepsy specialist. They may need to increase your dosage of lamotrigine.

Your doctor might also advise you to use condoms as well, until they can be sure that the Pill, contraceptive patches or vaginal rings would prevent you from getting pregnant. The doctor can check this by giving you blood tests at certain times of the month. The blood tests would show if the contraception has stopped you from ovulating (releasing an egg). This would mean that you can’t get pregnant.

Also in this section

• Planning a pregnancy
• Contraception and hormones
• Anti-epileptic drugs and contraception
• Further sources of information about contraception
• Methods of regular contraception and how they work
• Methods of emergency contraception and how they work
• Anti-epileptic drugs and contraception - a quick guide