ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel vs ketoconazole

According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.

Side-by-side comparison of ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel and ketoconazole. 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

CYP3A4 inhibitors such as itraconazole or ketoconazole may increase plasma hormone levels.

Drug Class
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel Combined Oral Contraceptive
ketoconazole Azole Antifungal
Type
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel Prescription
ketoconazole Over-the-Counter
Summary
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel

Amethia is a birth control pill that you take every day to prevent pregnancy. It contains two hormones, estrogen and progestin.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole shampoo is an antifungal medicine. It treats a fungal infection on your skin.

What It Treats
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel

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.

ketoconazole

This shampoo treats tinea versicolor, a fungal infection. This infection can cause patches on your skin that are lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. These patches may appear on your trunk, neck, arms, and upper thighs.

How It Works
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel

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.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It works by stopping the growth of the fungus. This helps to clear up the infection.

Common Side Effects
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel
  • Irregular or heavy uterine bleeding
  • Weight gain
  • Acne
  • Nausea
  • Breast tenderness
ketoconazole

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 15
  • Throwing up 13
  • Stomach pain 10
  • Exposure to the drug during pregnancy 9
  • Feeling tired 9
ketoconazole
  • Fatigue 929
  • Pruritus 902
  • Nausea 834
  • Rash 802
  • Diarrhoea 760
Serious Warnings
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel

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.

ketoconazole

You should not use this shampoo if you are allergic to ketoconazole or any of the other ingredients.

Pregnancy
ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel

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.

ketoconazole

It is not known if ketoconazole shampoo can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel vs ketoconazole Comparison

ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel is classified in the Combined Oral Contraceptive drug class, while ketoconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel has 56 submissions while ketoconazole has 4,227. 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 ketoconazole blocks a specific liver enzyme that normally clears birth control hormones from your body. this leads to higher levels of the hormones in your system.. 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 ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel or ketoconazole.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.