Can women take doxyPEP?
Doxycycline is just as safe for women as for men. But in women it has not been shown that doxyPEP prevents STIs. That is why doctors and expert guidelines do not recommend doxyPEP for women.
Ordering anyway? Then the doctor looks extra critically at your situation and only prescribes it in exceptional cases. If your order is declined, you get a full refund. For women, regular testing and condoms are the best protection.
What does the research among women show?
The large studies that showed a strong effect were done among gay and bisexual men and trans women. The one large study among cisgender women took place in Kenya and did not show a clear drop in STIs.
Researchers think one reason is that many participants did not take the doses as planned: tests showed that less doxycycline was used than reported. Whether doxyPEP works less well in vaginal tissue is still being researched.
In short: doxyPEP is not recommended for women, because it has not been proven to work. Regular STI testing and condoms are the best protection.
DoxyPEP and the contraceptive pill
According to current guidance, doxycycline does not make hormonal contraception, such as the pill, the ring or the implant, less reliable. What can matter: if you vomit within a few hours after taking your pill, check the leaflet of your pill for what to do.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Do not take doxyPEP if you are pregnant or might be pregnant. Doxycycline can affect the teeth and bones of the unborn child. Breastfeeding? Ask a doctor first.
Thrush after doxyPEP
Like other antibiotics, doxycycline can upset the natural balance in the vagina and cause thrush: itching and a thick, white discharge. It is harmless and easy to treat with medicine from the pharmacy. More in doxyPEP side effects.
Testing stays important
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea often give women no symptoms at all, while they can cause problems with fertility later. Whether or not you use doxyPEP: test regularly, and always after sex with a new partner.
