Top Health Concerns Related to Yaz Birth Control

Andrew Miller
April 3, 2013

After it was introduced to the market in 2006, Yaz quickly became the bestselling brand of birth control in the USA. Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the company that manufactures Yaz, spent more than $270 million on advertising, which undoubtedly helped with this oral contraceptive’s popularity.

Since it was released though, it has been discovered that there are serious and often life-threatening risks associated with Yaz. Read on for the top health concerns related to this oral contraceptive.

Heart Attacks and Hypertension Are Top Health Concerns

There are warnings that Yaz can cause chest pain that spreads through a woman’s chest, shoulders and arm. These are symptoms of cardiovascular problems. Yaz is a fourth generation oral contraceptive that combines a synthetic estrogen with a synthetic progestin. Ethinyl estradiol, the synthetic estrogen in Yaz, is used in average amounts similar to other brands of oral contraceptive. It is this synthetic estrogen that is thought to be responsible for high blood pressure. Additionally, Yaz was the first brand of oral contraceptive to use drospirenone, a new synthetic progestin. It is now known that drospirenone stops the body from secreting the hormones that regulate the body’s electrolytes and water, and as a result, a woman’s potassium levels could soar. These high potassium levels can lead to serious cardiovascular complications.

If you take Yaz and have had chest pain, shooting pains down your arm, or shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately.

There is a High Risk of Blood Clots With Yaz

The risk of getting a blood clot increases when a woman takes Yaz. These clots can travel throughout the body and can pose serious health risks. The reason for clotting is still unclear and is dependent on a variety of different risk factors; however, it is known that Yaz increases a woman’s risk of clots by 74 percent. It’s important to remember, though, that even women not taking oral contraceptives can suffer from a clot: 5 out of every 100,000 women not taking an oral contraceptive will also develop a clot.

Strokes Are a Serious Health Concern

Strokes are a third health concern related to Yaz. An FDA study estimates that 10 out of 10,000 women taking Yaz will suffer from a clot that leads to a stroke each year. If you are taking this pill and feel a sudden weakness on one side of your body, have a sudden severe headache, or have trouble speaking or balancing, you should see your doctor immediately.

There are risks associated with all brands of oral contraceptive. However, the health concerns related to Yaz are particularly serious. If you have suffered an adverse reaction to Yaz, you should speak to a lawyer about getting the compensation you deserve.