What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel and phenytoin
Ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel's FDA label of October 18, 2024 names phenytoin in its drug interactions section; the phenytoin labels PlainMeds reads (2) do not name ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel. The ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel label: “Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, bosentan, felbamate, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, rifampicin, topiramate …”
Check it at the source: the ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 18, 2024, Xiromed, LLC); the phenytoin FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 15, 2024, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.).
What does the ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel label say about phenytoin?
Ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel label, drug interactionsSome drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, bosentan, felbamate, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, rifampicin, topiramate, rifabutin, rufinamide, aprepitant, and products containing St. John’s wort.
Source: FDA drug label (Joyeaux), Xiromed, LLC, effective October 18, 2024 (SPL set 655b2c93-cfae-d44f-c128-c816bbd88e45), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the phenytoin label say about ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel?
Phenytoin's label (effective October 15, 2024) and its 1 other brand-application label do not name ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Phenytek), Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective October 15, 2024 (SPL set 0f94c791-8b07-4b41-927e-c9f28bec5f60), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Ethinyl estradiol/ferrous fumarate/levonorgestrel | Phenytoin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Birth control | Seizures and epilepsy |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $3.45 per tablet 28 tablet | $0.145 per capsule 100 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once