Description

Yasmin Side Effects, Benefits, Uses & Dosage Guide

Yasmin is a tablet taken by mouth and used to prevent pregnancy. It has 2 active hormones: drospirenone and ethinylestradiol. The standard Yasmin tablet contains 3 mg drospirenone and 0.03 mg ethinyl oestradiol. It is a prescription-only medicine in the UK.

What Is Yasmin?

Yasmin is part of the combined oral contraceptives group. It works by using hormones to stop ovulation and by making changes that reduce the chance of sperm making it to an egg. So it’s important to take the medicine correctly and regularly for contraceptive protection.

The combined pill can also make periods more regular, lighter or less painful for some women. However, Yasmin is only appropriate for a person if it suits their medical history and individual risk factors.

How Yasmin works?

Yasmin is a combination of an oestrogen (ethinylestradiol) and a progestogen (drospirenone). When taken properly these hormones help to prevent ovulation. They also have contraceptive effects that make pregnancy less likely.

The usual prescribing information is one tablet taken each day for 21 consecutive days followed by a 7 day tablet-free interval. This period is sometimes called a withdrawal bleed. However, the exact starting instructions may differ depending on previous contraception and patients should follow the advice of their healthcare professional and the package leaflet.

Yasmin Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yasmin used for contraception?

Yes. Yasmin is indicated for oral contraception . It is designed to reduce the risk of pregnancy when used as directed in the schedule.

Can Yasmin affect periods?

Yes. Yasmin, like other combined pills, can affect bleeding patterns. Some women may experience spotting or breakthrough bleeding, especially during the first few months.

Does Yasmin protect against sexually transmitted diseases?

No Yasmin is a contraceptive, not a protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. You may still need to use barrier methods (like condoms) to protect against STIs.

Yasmin: How to take

Take Yasmin exactly as directed. Try to take the tablet at the same time each day. The usual regimen is one tablet for 21 days, followed by a 7 day interval with no tablets. If you miss a tablet, what you should do depends on how late the tablet is and where you are in the pack. So don’t guess – check the patient leaflet or ask your chemist or doctor.

Some medicines can also make combined pills less effective as a contraceptive. Some medicines that induce enzymes (e.g., some medicines used to treat epilepsy, tuberculosis, HIV and other conditions) may interact with Yasmin. St John’s Wort may also affect how well contraceptives work.

Side effect Yasmin

Some people who use combined hormonal contraception can have side effects. These can include headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, mood changes, dizziness or changes in bleeding. The effects may improve after the first few months of use.

Yasmin also carries a small risk of serious blood clots. Individual factors influence the risk of venous thromboembolism, and drospirenone-containing combined pills have a different clot-risk profile than some other combined pills. Therefore, individual risk factors should be considered by a healthcare professional prior to prescribing Yasmin.

Get emergency medical help right away if you have symptoms of a clot or stroke, such as sudden chest pain, trouble breathing, weakness on one side of your body, sudden trouble speaking, or sudden vision problems.

Who Should Not Take Yasmin?

Yasmin may not be for everyone. Major contraindications include current or past blood clots, certain types of arterial disease, stroke, some migraines with focal neurologic symptoms, severe hypertension, and some severe liver or kidney diseases. Smoking and combined hormonal contraception may particularly increase cardiovascular risk in people over 35 years.

Drospirenone has a potassium-sparing effect. This means that if you have certain kidney problems or are taking potassium-sparing medications, you may require additional medical evaluation and, in some cases, potassium monitoring.

Final thought

Yasmin is a mixed oral contraceptive comprising the substances drospirenone and ethinylestradiol. When properly prescribed and properly used, it can be an effective oral contraceptive option. However, before you use it, it is important to consider your medical history, other medicines, smoking status, risk of blood clot and other health factors.