(July 29, 2011)
A May 31st announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated that they will conduct a safety review of the birth control pills containing drospirenone (a component of Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella, and others), after new studies link these drugs to an increased risk of developing blood clots.
Two new studies in the British Medical Journal found that these birth control pills can cause blood clots in two to three of every 10,000 women. Although it is believed that all birth control pills cause a risk of blood clots, they have found that the pills containing drospirenone (such as Yaz and Yasmin) carry a two to three times greater risk to develop blood clots than the older types of birth control pills.
Not only that, but these drugs increase the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is a blood clot in the legs that can cause pain and – if it successfully travels to the lungs – could cause death.
Women who take drospirenone birth control pills experience clotting at a rate six times higher than women who take birth control pills that do not contain drospirenone.
If you are currently taking a birth control pill that contains drospirenone, you should consult your doctor before you stop taking the pill. Your doctor may have safer alternatives for you.
If you would like some more information, contact us at 1-800-246-4878.
