carbamazepine vs ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of carbamazepine and ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include: barbiturates bosentan carbamazepine felbamate griseofulvin oxcarbazepine phenytoin rifampin St.
Tegretol
Levlen, Triphasil
Carbamazepine is a medicine used to control seizures and treat nerve pain. It works by reducing abnormal electrical activity in the brain and calming nerve signals.
Amethia is a birth control pill that you take every day to prevent pregnancy. It contains two hormones, estrogen and progestin.
Carbamazepine is used to treat certain types of seizures, including partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. It can also treat mixed seizure patterns. Carbamazepine also treats the pain from trigeminal neuralgia, a nerve disorder that causes intense facial pain. It is also sometimes used for glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
Amethia is used by women to prevent pregnancy. It contains two hormones that work together to stop you from getting pregnant. You must take it exactly as directed to prevent pregnancy.
Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant. It works by reducing the spread of seizure activity in the brain. It also stabilizes nerve impulses to reduce pain.
Amethia works by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). It also thickens the mucus in the cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach the egg. The hormones in Amethia also change the lining of the uterus.
- • Dizziness
- • Drowsiness
- • Unsteadiness
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Irregular or heavy uterine bleeding
- • Weight gain
- • Acne
- • Nausea
- • Breast tenderness
- Seizure 3,609
- Drug Interaction 3,369
- Fall 3,044
- Dizziness 2,862
- Pyrexia 2,689
- Feeling sick to your stomach 15
- Throwing up 13
- Stomach pain 10
- Exposure to the drug during pregnancy 9
- Feeling tired 9
Carbamazepine can cause severe skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which can be fatal. If you are of Asian descent, you may need a blood test before starting this medicine. Carbamazepine can also cause serious blood problems like aplastic anemia and agranulocytosis. Contact your doctor right away if you develop a fever, sore throat, rash, or unusual bleeding or bruising.
Cigarette smoking increases your risk of serious heart problems from birth control pills. This risk is higher if you are over 35 and smoke. If you are over 35 and smoke, you should not use Amethia.
Carbamazepine may harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if carbamazepine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding.
Amethia should not be used during pregnancy. It is also not recommended if you are breastfeeding, as it can reduce milk production and small amounts of the drug can pass into breast milk.
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How to Read This carbamazepine vs ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel Comparison
carbamazepine is classified in the Anticonvulsant drug class, while ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel sits within the Combined Oral Contraceptive class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, carbamazepine has 15,573 submissions while ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel has 56. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to carbamazepine speeds up the liver's ability to process birth control hormones, which makes them leave your body faster. this can make the birth control less effective at preventing pregnancy.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for carbamazepine or ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.