Does my birth control pill still work on a GLP-1?
Not reliably. Slowed gastric emptying interferes with absorbing the pill. Use a backup.
Your regular birth control pill will not work as well while taking GLP-1s. This is the single most missed fact on this medication.
The pill relies on just-in-time delivery. GLP-1s turn your stomach into a slow-motion lazy river, and by the time that pill is absorbed the window of protection may already have closed.
Non-oral contraception (IUDs, the ring, the patch) bypasses the stomach and is generally considered more reliable for GLP-1 users.
Until you have switched to a non-oral method, use a backup barrier. If you are on the pill, you are not fully protected.
None of this is medical advice. It is educational material drawn from FAT BITCH: Killing the Willpower Myth by Cat Clark, and it does not replace your prescriber, your pharmacist, or your actual doctor. If something here does not match what your care team told you, go with your care team and bring this along to the conversation.