Two of the most popular birth control pills available in Canada — Yasmin and Yaz — carry a higher risk of serious blood clots than some other oral contraceptives, two new studies say.
The studies — both published Thursday in the online edition of the British Medical Journal — show that pills containing a new type of progestogen hormone called drospirenone carry up to triple the risk of serious blood clots (known as venous thromboembolisms) over an older generation of pills containing a hormone called levonorgestrel.
Drospirenone is the key ingredient in Yasmin and Yaz, which are manufactured by Bayer and widely prescribed in Canada.
Drospirenone-based pills like Yasmin and Yaz had worldwide sales of $2 billion US in 2009, reports indicate.
CBC's Marketplace program raised health concerns about Yasmin and Yaz in January. Co-host Erica Johnson talked to a number of young women who have taken the two brands of pills and experienced serious health problems.
More than 4,000 women have taken legal action against Bayer and more than 800 in Canada have joined a class-action lawsuit.
Popular birth control pills may boost clot risk
via news.ca.msn.com
