Yaz Blood Clots

UPDATE: Yasmin and Yaz lawsuits alleging that the birth control pills caused potentially deadly blood clots have begun to settle. Reportedly, settlement amounts have reached $142 million, averaging $218,000 per case.

Has Yaz Been Linked to Blood Clots?

Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella and other drospirenone-containing birth control pills have been linked to a number of serious side effects, including blood clots, heart attack and stroke. According to the most recent study, women taking these birth control pills are more likely than other oral contraceptive users to develop a serious type of blood clot known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Specifically, the risk of venous blood clots was 43% to 65% higher among patients taking drospirenone-containing birth control pills when compared to women using second and third generation pills. A new study released by the FDA further supports accusations of a heightened risk of blood clots in drospirenone birth control pills, finding that these contraceptives can increase a user's risk of blood clot by as much as 74%.

FDA Investigates Blood Clot Risk

In May 2011, the FDA confirmed that two recent studies revealed a higher risk of blood clots in women taking drospirenone-containing birth control pills and suggested that women taking drospirenone contraceptives have up to three times the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), when compared to women taking contraceptives containing levonorgestrel. The FDA announced that it would continue to evaluate of the risk of blood clots and, in late October, updated its investigation, announcing that women taking Yaz or other drospirenone-containing pills had a higher risk of blood clots, which translates to approximately 10 cases of blood clots per 10,000 women using the pill annually. In April 2012, it announced that these oral contraceptives would receive label updates to contain a stronger warning regarding the blood clot risk.

Blood Clots

The latest information regarding blood clots adds to growing concerns regarding the health risks associated with Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. In addition to blood clots, serious problems which can develop in users may include:

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary embolism
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Gallbladder disease
• Cardiac death
• Venous thromboembolism (VTE)

Deep vein thrombosis, venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism are three types of blot clots associated with use of the drug and its equivalents. Signs which may indicate blood clots include shortness of breath, severe chest pain and persistent leg pain.

Yaz Lawsuits

A number of lawsuits have been filed against Bayer, making several allegations against the drug manufacturer. The Yaz lawsuits claim that the company failed to warn patients about the drug's side effects and aggressively marketed the birth control pill to patients. If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack, stroke or blood clot while taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella, you may be able to participate in a lawsuit against the manufacturer.

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