Doctors prescribe antibiotics for women to treat various conditions, mostly infections. When antibiotics are present in the body they can affect the menstrual cycle in some way, even in cases where they are not specifically prescribed to treat infections within the reproductive system. So, how do antibiotics affect your period? Read on to find out.
Antibiotics can be used to treat several infections in the reproductive system, so they can cause changes in your menstruation cycle. Some things which antibiotics are used to treat occasionally in women include uterine infections, vaginal infections, and certain yeast infections. If you notice any change in your menstrual cycle and you have infections in your reproductive systems, then you are more likely to experience changes due to the nature of your infections instead of from the antibiotics.
How Do Antibiotics Affect Your Period
Even though some research was done in the past to determine whether or not the menstrual cycle is affected by antibiotics, the effects are not completely certain. Most women who use antibiotics have no change in menstrual cycles, whilst others who notice changes assume that they are caused by antibiotics. The possible effects that antibiotics could have on menstruation might not be connected to the antibiotics, but to the infections which they are used to treat.
There are some women who think that the antibiotics caused delayed menstruation, heavier bleeding, and severe cramping. However, infections could also cause these conditions, especially if they appear in your reproductive system.
As it pertains to studies done, medical specialists from Britain carried out a research during the late 1940s to show how penicillin antibiotic would affect women’s menstrual cycles. The results from the findings were not conclusive, but several women who took part in the study reported that they notice some changes which include heavier bleeding and severe cramping than normal. In addition, some women notice differences in the time when their menstruation starts as well as how long it last for. Although many women notice some differences, many did not, so this meant that the study didn’t reveal a lot about the effects that antibiotics could have on menstruation.
Antibiotics effects on menstruation are more likely to be related to various types of infections instead of the medications, but you should inform your doctor about any unusual changes. It is possible that certain antibiotics can cause changes inside your body which might affect your menstrual cycle. In cases where the changes in your cycle are very severe and unusual, a doctor might be able to help. Your doctor might probably do some tests to find another antibiotic that you are not sensitive to if he or she suspects that the medication is affecting your menstruation.
hi i am arifa i’ve taken antibiotic and tablets exler for allargic problem and now I am one week late for my petiod .. this is my first problem and first time i am late for peroid.. no possiblity for pregnancy
I started taking Clarithromycin for bacterial pneumonia April 15th. Since April 17th, I have had a light period lasting over a month. Currently waiting on my doctors appointment but should I be worried?
Hello KD, the antibiotic might be the reason for your irregular period.
I have been taking flucoxacillin and over a week late pregnancy test is negative is this the reason?
Hello Mandy, antibiotics do cause a delay in the start of your period. This might be the reason.