Common epilepsy medication and birth control combinations may reduce contraceptive effectiveness

People with epilepsy who use certain hormonal birth control methods may be at risk for reduced contraceptive effectiveness because of interactions with certain antiseizure medications, according to a study published October 7, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the…

Nearly one-third of people with epilepsy who were prescribed certain hormonal contraceptives also received antiseizure medications that may make those contraceptives less effective, according to a University of Pittsburgh–led study published in Neurology.