According to Reuters, a recent study from Israel “adds evidence” to the claim that birth control pills containing the compound drospirenone carry a higher risk of blood clots than other types of oral contraceptives on the market.
Drospirenone, a synthetic hormone, is a component of relatively new birth control pills including Yasmin, Yaz, Beyaz and Ocella.
The study, which included 330,000 Israeli women, found that the risk was of contracting potentially deadly blood clots called venous thromboembolisms was 43 percent to 65 percent higher with drospirenone-containing pills, compared with pills that have been around longer.
Researchers found the risk was greatest in the first few months of use.
The Reuters story says that all birth control pills carry a risk of blood clots. But the Israeli study is one of several in recent years concluding that the pills with drospirenone carry a higher risk than others on the market. The only studies finding no such correlation were industry-funded.
The Yasmin line of pills was introduced a decade ago. They were marketed as less likely to cause weight gain and swelling than older-generation pills, and quickly became the top sellers on the market.
Patients should consult their doctors before making any changes in their medication. A consultation with a Beyaz lawyer is also important if there are significant injuries while on Beyaz or similar birth control pills.
See the story here:
https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/07/us-birth-control-clots-idUSTRE7A66R320111107
