THE PILL – LOW-DOSE PILL
The new low-dose Pill has a lessened risk of side effects — but it also has a reduced margin of error.
This means that, if one Pill is missed in the cycle, there is a small but definite risk that ovulation may occur resulting in pregnancy.
If a woman on the Pill develops vomiting or diarrhoea, there is a risk that the Pill will not be absorbed and so she may risk pregnancy. We are now aware that taking certain other drugs at the same time as the Pill may make it less efficient.
Most of the anti-convulsants do this and so epileptic women taking medication to control their disorder need to be careful if they also wish to take the Pill. Some antibiotics have also been shown to interfere with the potency of the Pill.
The reverse effect may also be seen in that the Pill interferes with the action of other drugs.
It now appears that it has an effect on the levels of vitamins in the body, the levels of the fat soluble vitamins, A and D, may be increased while the water soluble, Â and C, may be decreased.
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