FDA: Yaz, Yasmin, And Other Birth Control Pills Increase Risk of Blood Clots

The FDA released a warning to women who take birth control pills containing drospirenone this week. This active ingredient, found in such popular brand name contraceptives as Yaz, Yasmin, Safyral, Gianvi, Ocella, and Beyaz, has been recently shown to dramatically increase the chances of blood clots in women. Although these recent studies do seem to conflict with older studies, the FDA issued an alert to all OBGYNs, doctors, and patients.

Ironically, the ingredient drospirenone was introduced into birth control medications in an attempt to reduce the risk of blood clots.

According to Wikipedia, Bayer disclosed over a hundred lawsuits that had been filed by 2009 regarding side effects of the Yaz and Yasmin brand contraceptives. Also in 2009, the FDA cited Bayer for low-quality drosperinone, which could have other potentially harmful side effects.

It has long been reported that birth control products which contain estrogen, hormones, and other active ingredients such as drospirenone have caused an increased risk of potentially fatal blood clots (the main cause of strokes and some types of heart attacks and lung damage), breast cancer, cervical cancer, liver tumors, and even diabetes. The World Health Organization has classified some birth control pills which contain both estrogen and progestin as carcinogenic.

Although blood clots are normally associated with older individuals, even young women are now experiencing leg discomfort and other symptoms which may be due to their birth control pills. Blood clots often begin in the legs, so if you are a women on birth control, please pay special attention to your symptoms and report them to your friendly local Peoria doctor right away.