Did you know that antibiotics could affect the menstrual cycle? Indeed, most of them can have an effect on menstrual periods, with some reporting delays. Find out more about the connections between antibiotics and the menstrual cycle below.
Your Regular Cycle
During the first 14 days of a 28-day menstrual cycle, your follicle will start to grow and kick-start the initial production of additional estrogen. It will start to make the endometrium lining thicker. When ovulation commences, the estrogen hormone will be joined by the progesterone hormone from the corpus luteum to make the endometrium mature and thicker.
How Antibiotics Affect the Normal Cycle
Antibiotics can interfere with your body’s mechanism, which secretes the human chorionic gonadotrophin hormone (hCG) and cause uterus shedding to delay your period. This will happen mainly because the available estrogen will be reduced to cause a change in your cycle for it to become irregular.
A study done in 1947 shows that Penicillin caused heavier bleeding, changes in pain and PMS symptoms and the start of the cycle itself, but they stated that they weren’t able to find any correlative information regarding that.
There are actually two ways antibiotics could affect the estrogen metabolism. Most antibiotics are metabolized in the liver, and when they are present, the metabolism rate of estrogen as well as progesterone will be affected. This can interfere with the estrogen supply that is in the blood and causes an irregularity of the menstrual cycle.
In order for the follicular phase of menstruation to occur, the estrogen is needed to stimulate the ovaries and thicken the uterine wall. Without this, ovulation doesn’t happen or it happens late, which obviously affects when your period will arrive.
Other Issues with Antibiotics
There are some antibiotics that will cause diarrhea-like symptoms when they interfere with the stomach flora.
Even though it’s supposed to kill the bad bacteria in the body, it also affects and kills the good bacteria as well, which is why some women report yeast infections as well after their use of antibiotics.
The entero-hepatic circulation will be affected and cause a reduction of estrogen levels in the blood. It’s becausegut bacteria that usually re-activates small amount of estrogen in intestine are no longer available [1].
When the estrogen levels change in the blood, your cycle will be affected low estrogen levels fail to stimulate pituitary release of hormones. Your body actually ovulates based on the pituitary gland’s ability to identify that sufficient estrogen is in the blood, and then cause LH surge which causes ovulation on 14th day of cycle. So antibiotic treatment can affect these delicate hormonal balances.
So your body doesn’t have enough estrogen to regulate normal menstrual cycle.
Another important point to note is that antibiotics change your body’s metabolic performance and the ability to sustain a steady hormone level.
Use the Second Form of Protection if you are Not Trying to Get Pregnant
Antibiotics can also affect the estrogen as well as progestin levels in oral contraceptive pills. Estrogen is actually an active ingredient in these pills and the antibiotics will affect how it’s metabolized in the body.
Rifampicin and Rifabutin are liver enzyme-inducing drugs and can clear the estrogens from blood at faster rate thereby reducing the contraceptive benefit anticipated from contraceptive pills.
You should get medical advice if you are taking antibiotics in the first seven days of a new pill packet and you engage in sexual intercourse in the last five to seven days. The antibiotics could disrupt the normal protection that the pills provide and cause you to get pregnant.
So if you are taking antibiotics, ensure that you are also protecting yourself as well if you are not looking to have another child right now.
Reasons other than antibiotics that affect your period
While antibiotics get a bad rap regarding the effect on the body and the menstrual cycle, there can be other potential issues and situations that can go on with the body during the time frame. When sick, antibiotics or not, the body is being stressed to the max.
It is trying to accommodate for being sick and the stress of still having to maintain a home, a job, children, a spouse (because you know, moms don’t take sick days). So take into consideration that it can be affected by the meds or by stress, weight loss or gain, usage of birth control, and PCOS or thyroid conditions.
How to Prevent Antibiotic Related Period Issues
One way to help balance your hormones while you are on antibiotics could be to switch up your diet while you are taking antibiotics (and after as well if you are looking to maintain a healthy balance).
In order to balance the estrogen levels, you can add some fish oil, vitamin D, and vitamin B to your diet as well as probiotics, which can help balance that gut bacteria in a beneficial way.
Plus you’ll want to get enough sleep (which helps so many bodily systems) and be stress free (see above).
In general, antibiotics can affect so many bodily systems. Know that they shouldn’t be something that you take on a regular basis because it can cause antibiotic resistance in the body.
Take them only if necessary and ensure that you take the proper precautions for preventing pregnancy and keeping your other systems in balance.
If your period is still late, however, take a test and be confident with the results. But if you are still concerned with what is going on, be sure to talk to your doctor if you need more information on the effects of antibiotics and menstrual cycle.
References
- Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28778332
Last day of my period 30 of Nov. I’m expecting my period in the first week of Dec. I took antibiotics for a cough from Nov 22 – Dec. 1. I had intercourse on January 16, 20 and 27 with my partner but we used the withdrawal method. It’s Dec 12 and I didn’t have my period. I’m bloated and feel discomfort with my stomach body pain, feeling like I’m going to throw up after a meal yet I have no appetite, I read the effects of antibiotic. I’m waiting for few more days to get a test. Is it possible that I can get pregnant after taking antibiotics?
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant after taking antibiotics. Take the test as soon as you can. Good luck!
I took about 18 tablets of Cotri-moxazole 800mg.. Yesterday I took pregnancy test but its negative.. Is it possible to be false negative?.. Since I have the symptoms of side effects of antibiotics.. Gas pain voluntary and invulontary gas discharged, rushes chest pain, bloated after meal or taking dairy products.. I got history of missing and delayed periods everytime I take anay medicine.
Last day of my period 30 of Nov. I’m expecting my period in the first week of Jan. I took antibiotics cotri-moxazole for a cough from dec 22 – Jan. 1. I had intercourse on Dec 16, 20 and 27 with my partner but we used the withdrawal method. It’s Jan 12 and I didn’t have my period. I’m bloated and feel discomfort with my stomach body pain, feeling like I’m going to throw up after a meal yet I have no appetite, I read the effects of antibiotic. I’m waiting for few more days to get a test. Is it possible that I can get pregnant after taking antibiotics?
Hello there. My period last month was December 9 to 12. December 18 to 22 I’d taken antibiotics for my UTI .. My period supposed to be on 8th or 9th January right? But still not coming yet. Please, I need your help and advice.
Do no get worried. Your period may be delayed because if the antibiotics that you took. Give it a few more daya.
I have asked my nurse friends about antibiotics, they all reply that antibiotics has nothing to do with the delayed.. Getting worried here
I took test yesterday 17th its negative..
Finally I got my period since yesterday,
.
Hi I am going to try and explain this the best way i can…so sometime during the second week of December I started to bleed only when I wipe and it only last for like an hour…then I was expecting my period. Didn’t come. Then right before Christmas I got some penicillin for an abcess in my tooth and here it is January 5th and i still haven’t gotten my cycle I just finished the meds yesterday. Can this be caused by the penicillin?
Hi,Stress and some medications can have the effect of delaying your period.
I forgot to mention that I have taken several pregnancy test and all cam back negative. When that kept happening, I called the doctors and they responded with you need a blood pregnancy test because the penicilllin shouldn’t cause that kind of effect. Here it is January 7th and still nothing remotely close to a period. Everytime I have missed a cycle I have been pregnant and that is 7 times that I have been late always ending in pregnancy. So do you think that I could be pregnant?
I take doxylag antibiotic this December 28, 2015 for my vaginal infection and supposed my period will come on December 29, 2015 but my period didn’t yet come. It’s December 30 now. Is it because of the antibiotic why my period is delayed?
Yes, the delay in you period may be due to the antibiotic. Read more here http://womanjunction.com/antibiotics-and-menstrual-cycle/
Please I need help here I took some antibiotics drugs and also injections for treatment of staff on the second week of December and having a serious pain at the back of my waist. its 27th now and am yet to see my period. I have some pimples on my face with I do see before my period the pimples are gone and I still have serious pain at my back waist. it’s really stressing me out. what can i do to see my period?
Hi,Antibiotics can affect the period, There are many other reasons you could be missing your period for example stress,diabetes,excessive exercise. talk to your doctor to see what you can do to regulate your period.
Hi, I had sex on the 24,25 and 26th November 2015, I fell ill on the 7th December and I was given Rocephin injections and Cefixime tablets. My period was to start on the 8th December, is it possible I am pregnant or the antibiotics is the cause of the delay in my period flow. I am confused.
Can i take any antibiotic in my period time?
Today i have first day of my periods. Dermatologist had prescribed me antibiotics (azoxin). Please suggest me is it save for me to take on first day of my period?
I took antibiotics for my cough last nov. 16-18 and I had unprotected sex last 21st of nov. And when I had sex I did not know that I’m having my period by that day. The next day I checked my underwear, I only get few blood.which is not normal. Today is the 2nd day and I don’t have blood. Is that spotting or the antibiotics really affected my menstrual cycle? Because my period is supposed to start on 24th of nov.
Hello, Antibiotics can affect your period,but since you had unprotected sex its possible you can be pregnant too.
I had my period the 23 of July I had sex on the 13 of August I got my period the 24 of August and then the 24 of September. I got my wisdom teeth pulled out 28th of October but prior was taking medication for the pain a week before the 28th. Starting the 28th I was on amoxicillin for a week until the 4th and now it is November 19 and have not received my period .
Is this due to the medication?
Along side the antibiotics, I was taking a high dosage of ibuprofen and another pain medication.
Hi,If you’re taking antibiotics for an illness, it may affect your menstrual cycle. Most women experience no change, but a heavy course of antibiotics can delay your period.
Did you ever get your period? I am in that exact same situation right now and mine is late. And I am on amoxicillin too. I am late by 4 days.
Hi Lisa, yes I did get my period the 25 of Novemeber so I missed almost two months and it was due to all the medication I took, and then December on the 24 I got it, so my body was just really stressed because i wasn’t getting it which does delay it (stress) and the dosages of medication played a factor!
Hi, i got mono around the 20th of october and was not diagnosed until around the 1st of November. I had sex the last week of october, but then at the beginning of november was put on a steroid and Z-pack along with another small antibiotic. My period in now a week late. I have had some occasional cramping and bloating, but no spotting or discharge. Could this delay be caused by the medicine
Hello,Yes If you’re taking antibiotics for an illness, it may affect your menstrual cycle. Most women experience no change, but a heavy course of antibiotics can delay your period.
My period has not came on this month and it’s the 17th, it normally comes on the 1st but I started taking antibiotics the 1st of September. My period was late in October and it came on the 5th. I haven’t taken any antibiotics since September and I haven’t had unprotected sex at all. could the antibiotics be the reason for no period yet? I’m pretty sure it should be out my system but I don’t know why I don’t have no period yet
Hi,Most probably not.” The possible cause of your delayed period might be connected not to the antibiotics, but to the infection they are being used to treat. There are many reasons why you haven’t seen your period.
I am having excessive bleeding and clotting. I started my period the same day I started my antibiotic could this be the reason behind the weirdness of my period?
Antibiotics can cause changes in the menstrual. In your case, the excessive bleeding may be cause for concern. Continue to monitor it and advise your doctor if the bleeding continues to be heavy.
hi, my period ended the last week of september and i had sex in the beggining of October. i got my wisdom teeth out a week a ago and ive been taking amoxicillin and i ended up getting allergic to the medicine without knowing till 3 days in of my recovery. i was throwing up, and diarrhea. i havent had my period but i hear it sets your back..i dont know what to do…
Hi I had antibiotics in the last week of August then I got my period in Sept 14 and had unprotected sex around the 22nd then I just had spotting from the 10th Oct today then I decided to take a test on the 12th and it was negative but now it’s the 14th again could it be the antibiotics?
Antibiotics are known to have an effect on one’s menstrual cycle. Read the details here http://womanjunction.com/antibiotics-and-menstrual-cycle/
I usually get my period every 27 days. I had it on August 22, then on Septemper 7th, (five days into taking Clindamycin for a toothache). I got it again. I haven’t had it since. Should I take a test now or should I wait until after my normal cycle date of October 22nd?
If your last period was September 7 then you can safely take a pregnancy test at this point.