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I have diabetes. Can I take birth control pills or will it make my diabetes worse?

Healthy women with diabetes (type 1 or type 2) can usually take birth control pills safely. There are generally two types of birth control pills—those with a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin, and those with progestin alone.

Combination pills only rarely cause changes in blood glucose control. If this happens, you should talk to your doctor about other contraceptive choices. Some side effects of the pill may increase your risk for diabetes complications. For example, you get high blood pressure from taking the pill, you increase your chance of eye or kidney complications from diabetes.

Progesterone-only forms of birth control, such as the minipill (brand names Micronor and Nor QD), are good alternatives to combination birth control pills, since they don't cause changes in blood glucose control. >Depo-Provera injections don’t cause changes either, so they’re also considered quite safe.

If you have poor circulation, heart disease, stroke, or high blood pressure, or if you’ve had a stroke, birth control pills may not be the best choice for you. Also, you shouldn't use birth control pills if you smoke.

Sources:
Dickey, R.P. Managing Contraceptive Pill Patients. EMIS Inc., 1998.
Carlisle, B.A., L.A. Kroon, and M.A. Koda-Kimble. 101 Medication Tips for People with Diabetes. The American Diabetes Association. 1999.
American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes. The American Diabetes Association. 1997.
Diab KM. “Contraception In Diabetic Women: Comparative Metabolic Study Of Norplant, Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, Low Dose Oral Contraceptive Pill And CuT380A”, Obstetrics and Gynaecological Research 26 (2000).
American Diabetes Association, website- http://www.diabetes.org, last accessed 11/16/2006.
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2006.

This answer prepared 6/5/2000.
This information updated 11/16/2006.