Potential Side Effects of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella: Blood Clots

Many women are reporting that they developed blood clots after taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella. For those of you who may not know what a blood clot is, a blood clot is caused when blood hardens (coagulates) within a blood vessel in the body or in the heart. The problem is that blood clots can become dangerous, even life-threatening, if not treated immediately.

Part of the controversy surrounding Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella is that recent medical studies have found that drospirenone or drsp, the synthetic hormone in these birth control pills, is associated with a significantly higher risk of venous thrombosis (blood clots in the veins).

There are two main types of blood clot complications:

"Thrombosis" involves a clot that forms in a blood vessel and creates a blockage, obstructing the blood flow. A common form of this is known as deep venous thrombosis or DVT, when a blood clot occurs in the veins, usually in the legs.

"Embolism" involves a blood clot that forms in one part of the body, then frees itself and travels through the blood stream until it ends up getting stuck in a blood vessel in another part of the body, such as the lungs, heart, or brain.

Blood clots can cause other life-threatening health complications such as a Pulmonary Embolism or Stroke.