Yaz/Yasmin May Put Women at Increased Risk for Gallbladder Disease
On April 18, 2011 the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an article that reports a statistically significant increase in the risk of gallbladder diseases associated with dropserinone, desogestrel and norethindrone containing oral contraceptives and those containing levonorgestrel. The oral birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin, Ocella, Gianvi, Zarah and Beyaz all contain drosperinone.
The article reports on the first study comparing the relative risk of gallbladder disease in different oral contraceptives. Previous studies have shown that long-term use of an oral contraceptive is associated with an increased risk of gallbladder disease compared with no oral contraceptive use.
Gallbladder disease, including gallstones, can lead to cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal surgery) and possible surgical and post-surgical complications.
According to the article, drosperinone, a progestin, combined with ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen, is primarily marketed as Yaz and Yasmin in Canada and the United States and is one of the most prescribed oral contraceptives in North America. Up until this article was published, the scientific evidence on the risk of gallbladder disease associated with Yaz/Yasmin consisted of only anecdotal or spontaneous reports in databases of adverse drug events.