Blood clots are one of the serious side effects reported by women who have taken the birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. Recent medical studies have found that the hormone used in these oral contraceptives known as drospirenone or drsp is associated with a significantly higher risk of venous thrombosis, a medical term for blood clots in the veins.
Blood clots are caused when blood hardens (coagulates) within a blood vessel in the body or in the heart. There are various types of blood clot complications:
- Thrombosis occurs when a clot that forms in a blood vessel creates a blockage that obstructs the blood flow. A common form of thrombosis occurs in the veins (most commonly the legs) and is known as "deep vein thrombosis" or "DVT".
- Embolism occurs when a blood clot forms in one part of the body, then frees itself and travels through the blood stream until it becomes stuck in a blood vessel in another part of the body, such as the lungs, heart, or brain.
Blood clots may cause unusual pain and swelling in the area affected, sudden severe headaches and unusual changes in skin color (redness). Blood clots can become life-threatening if they move to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, or to the brain, where they can cause a stroke.
