Table 1.

2009 UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use categories for anticonvulsant therapy and contraception.

Anticonvulsant	Combined hormonal methods	Progestogen-only pill	Progestogen-only implant	Progestogen-only injectable	Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system	Copper-IUD
EIAEDs	3†	3†	2†	DMPA − 1, NET-EN - 2†	1	1
Lamotrigine	3	1	1	1	1	1

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Category 1: A condition for which there is no restriction for the use of the contraceptive method with the condition or in that circumstance.

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Category 2: A condition where the advantages of using the method generally outweigh the theoretical or proven risks.

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Category 3: A condition where the theoretical or proven risks generally outweigh the advantages of using the method. The provision of a method requires expert clinical judgement and/or referral to a specialist provider, since use of the method is not usually recommended unless other methods are not available or not acceptable.

UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Category 4: A condition which represents unacceptable health risk if the method is used.

^†The consistent use of condoms is recommended.

DMPA: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate; EIAED: Phenytoin, carbamazepine, barbiturates, primidone, topiramate, oxcarbazepine; NET-EN: Norethisterone enanthate. Reproduced with permission from [10].