Yasmin – The birth control choice of millions of US women
Yasmin, which is also sold as YAZ in the US, is an FDA-approved oral contraceptive pill meant to be taken once a day for prevention of unwanted pregnancy. It is a prescription drug manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Yasmin contains a combination of synthetic hormones called drospirenone (synthetic progestin) and ethinyl estradiol (synthetic estrogen). Unlike other popular birth control pills, Yasmin has an impressive 99% success rate in preventing pregnancy.
How does Yasmin work?
Yasmin birth control pills do 3 things to prevent pregnancy:
- It deceives the body by faking pregnancy. When your body knows that it is already pregnant, it does not release egg for fertilization. This means you can’t become pregnant.
- In the event of accidental release of an egg, Yasmin thickens the cervical mucus to make it difficult for the sperms to reach the egg and fertilize it.
- For further protection, the medicine modifies the lining of the uterus to make the wall of the uterus less responsive to an embryo.
What are the unique benefits of Yasmin?
Apart from preventing pregnancy, Yasmin solves many health problems adult women face. Its benefits are as follows:
- The medicine gives you shorter and lighter periods and controls your menstrual cycle better.
- It prevents cramps from occurring, giving you relief from physical pain and discomfort.
- Yasmin is proven effective to treat moderate acne.
- It treats premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This condition can make you go blue with recurring feelings of anger and anxiety. It can also cause muscle aches, headaches and sudden change in appetite.
When can I expect Yasmin to work after I start taking it?
Yasmin birth control pills contain a very small dose of estrogen. So the effectiveness of the medicine depends on the amount of progestin in contains and the period for which it is prescribed. Generally it is prescribed to be taken for a month at least, but you are strongly advised to follow your doctor’s advice on dosing schedule. You may be advised to use another back-up contraceptive method with Yasmin during the starting month.
What are the contraindications?
You should not take the pill if you have liver or kidney problems, or if you suffer from adrenal disease. A particular hormonal ingredient in the medicine may increase potassium in your body, causing severe heart problems.
Also, do not take Yasmin or any other oral contraceptive pills if you have a history of cardiovascular diseases, strokes, or heart attacks. Remember Yasmin only prevents pregnancy from occurring in the first place, it does not terminate pregnancy. So it is useless when you are pregnant or about to be pregnant.
What are the side effects?
The following side effects have been reported in clinical trials:
- headache
- breast pain
- upper respiratory infection
- vaginal yeast infection
- stomach pain
- nausea
- urinary tract infection
- painful menstrual period
- sinus infection
- increased body weight
- feeling of weakness
The good news for you is that the side effects have only been reported in a little more than 1% cases.
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