One of the most popular contraceptives on the market, Yaz a fourth-generation birth control pill has come under scrutiny in many United States courtrooms, recently. Yaz prevents ovulation in women and creates difficulty for the sperm in reaching the uterus. It makes it harder for a fertilized egg to become attached to the uterus, which can cause pregnancy.

Women, age 14 and older, are being marketted to and prescribed this medication to treat mild acne, smyptoms of PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). However, in recent years, many side effects of Yaz have become evident and have even taken the lives of innocent women who are being prescribed this form of birth control by their doctors.

Lawsuit Filed Against Makers of Yaz

Amidst the hundreds of Yaz related lawsuits that have been filed throughout the country, there is one that was just filed last week in California federal court. The lawsuit states that a woman taking Yaz, suffered a stroke which led to having a portion of her brain and skull removed as a lifesavingmeasure. The stroke was believed to be caused by Yaz and was the result of its severe side effects.

Susan Galinis, of Newark, California, filed the Yaz lawsuit against the producers of the drug, Bayer Pharmaceuticals. Bayer, according to Galinis, failed to adequately research the Yaz birth control pill that they continue to market to healthy women. She also points out in her complaint that Bayer fails to sufficiently warn consumers of the increased risk of a stroke that results from the use of yaz. Gallins hopes that her lawsuit will not only bring her compensation for the hardship she has suffered resulting from the stroke she suffered but that it will also bring awareness to the side effects connected to the use of Yaz. Galinis hopes that the lawsuits filed against Bayer will force them to recall the birth control Yaz.

Harmful Ingredients in Yaz

Yaz reportedly contains drospirenone, a new type of progestin, as well as ethinyl estradiol. Pregnancy prevention is the intended result of the combination of these two ingredients. The combination of these ingredients may cause blood clots leading to strokes or death in women using the birth control.

The Yaz lawsuits, including Galinis', claim that drospiirenone causes the potassium levels in the blood to increase. This can cause a condition known as hyperkalemia, which can lead to other health problems. Yaz has also been linked to an increased risk of blood clots, which can lead to stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or a very sudden, and unexpected death.

This Woman's Life Was Forever Altered

The 39 year old Gallinis was prescribed Yaz to help ease the pain the experienced from premenstrual cramps. She has only been taking the drug for four weeks and one day when she suddenly had a stroke in June 2008. The stroke resulted in her being hospitalized for six months and the decision being made, in an attempt to save her life, to remove part of her brain and skull. As a result of the surgery, Galinis' IQ reportedly dropped to 77 and she has little to no short-term memory.

In early October, Bayer announced that they have been served with at least 129 lawsuits due to Yaz and its side effects. Thousands of more lawsuits are expected to follow in the upcoming year. Yaz, despite the reports of its potential harm, has not been recalled and continues to be the most widely prescribed contraceptive in the U.S.