Will the oral antibiotics used in acne interfere with the efficacy of oral contraceptives (OCs) to prevent pregnancy?

Probably not. Whether the contraceptive efficacy of OCs is adversely affected by antibiotics such as penicillins, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines is highly controversial. Tetracycline, doxycycline, ampicillin, and metronidazole have been shown in pharmacokinetic studies not to decrease contraceptive steroid levels. When contraceptive failure rates of dermatology patients on OCs and antibiotics were compared to patients who take OCs but not antibiotics, no difference was found. However, there is a theoretical risk, and this should be discussed with female patients taking both antibiotics and OCs.