Stories about women getting pregnant while on the pill may seem like a scare tactic dreamed up to promote abstinence, but it’s unfortunately easier than you think. Oral contraceptives are just like any other medication: What you put in your body can interact with them. Avoiding these popular foods could be the difference between single AF and baby on the way
Grapefruit
There’s a rumor that drinking a lot of this citrus fruit’s juice can up your chances of pregnancy, but doctors insist otherwise. Instead, grapefruit decreases your body’s breakdown of estrogen, increasing the risk of dangerous pill side effects, like breast soreness and blood clots.
Herbal Supplements
The FDA never weighs in on the safety or effectiveness of the herbs, making it tougher for consumers to understand how they might interact with other medications. Many can weaken your birth control, including St. John’s wort, a popular plant people take for mood disorders.
Activated Charcoal
Charcoal’s made its way into lattes, ice cream, and pizza, but the black stuff is more serious than the trend lets on. It’s what hospitals use to pump patients’ stomachs because it absorbs nearly everything in your gut – including any medication you’re on. Doctors have begun to warn that even the little bit found in popular foods can counteract the pill.
Detox Teas
We’ve learned that some of these can act like straight-up laxatives, and guess what happens when you’re suffering from near-constant diarrhea? You lose everything in your body, including any pills you’ve popped. There’s not always enough time for your birth control to be properly absorbed, and a number of women blame unplanned pregnancies on the teas. For what it’s worth, some companies clearly state the risks on their site.
