Today, birth control pills are used for more than just the obvious. Take Yaz, for instance. It has been approved by the FDA to bring relief from PMDD and help control moderate acne.
Yaz is now under fire for what else it may do.
All oral contraceptives may increase a woman's risk of blood clots and stroke. But some believe the combination of estrogen and drospirenone, as in Yaz, carries a higher risk than other birth control pills. At least one study, published in the August issue of the British Medical Journal, seems to support this idea.
Bayer defends its product, though, stating the side effects in question are rare and happen with no more frequency than with other birth control pills. They point to additional studies that show the safety of estrogen-drospirenone combination.
It's been a tough year for the pharmaceutical company, as Bayer was reprimanded by the FDA in February for misleading Yaz advertisements.
Developing serious side effects is a rare occurrence, but you should know the risks of birth control pills. As always, turn to your doctor for advice if you have concerns about your birth control pill.
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