Yasmin
Yasmin is a low-dose monophasic oral combined estrogen-progestogen contraceptive. The contraceptive effect of this birth control drug is mainly achieved by suppressing ovulation and increasing the viscosity of cervical mucus.
Indications
Hormonal contraception (prevention of unwanted pregnancy).
Dosage and administration
Oral application in the order indicated on the package. The pill is taken daily at about one and the same time. It should be washed down with a small amount of water.
Take one tablet a day continuously for 21 days. Taking tablets from the next pack begins after a 7-day break, during which menstrual bleeding usually starts (withdrawal bleeding). As a rule, it begins on the 2nd – 3rd day after taking the last pill and may not end before taking the pill from the new package.
Contraindications
Yasmin birth control should not be used in the presence of any of the conditions/diseases listed below:
- thrombosis (venous and arterial) and thromboembolism at present or in history (including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, stroke), cerebrovascular disorders;
- conditions preceding thrombosis (including transient ischemic attacks, angina pectoris) at present or in the medical history;
- migraine with focal neurological symptoms;
- diabetes mellitus accompanied by vascular complications;
- multiple or severe risk factors for venous or arterial thrombosis;
- smoking at the age of over 35 years old;
- pancreatitis with severe hypertriglyceridemia at present or in the anamnesis;
- hepatic failure and severe hepatic disease;
- hepatic tumors (benign or malignant) at present or in anamnesis;
- severe and/or acute kidney failure;
- detected hormone-dependent malignant diseases (including genitals or mammary glands);
- vaginal bleeding of unknown specifics;
- pregnancy;
- lactation period;
- hypersensitivity to any of the drug’s components.
Side effects
Often side effects are:
- emotional lability, depression, mood decline;
- nausea;
- migraine;
- decreased or loss of libido;
- breast pain, irregular uterine bleeding, genital tract bleeding.
Rare side effects are:
- venous or arterial thromboembolic processes;
- peripheral deep vein occlusion;
- thrombosis;
- pulmonary vascular embolism/occlusion;
- myocardial infarction;
- non-hemorrhagic cerebral stroke.
The side effect with an unknown frequency is:
erythema multiforme.
Individual adverse reactions
Adverse reactions with a very low frequency or with a delayed onset of symptoms, which are considered as possibly interrelated with the drugs of the group of combined oral contraceptives, are listed below:
- tumors. Breast cancer diagnosis rates are slightly increased among women taking oral contraceptives. Since breast cancer is rare in women younger than 40 years, an increase in the number of diagnoses is insignificant in relation to the overall risk of developing this disease, its connection with taking combined oral contraceptives has not been proven.liver tumors (benign and malignant)Other conditions;
- erythema nodosum. Women with hypertriglyceridemia have an increased risk of pancreatitis when using combined oral contraceptives, arterial hypertension, the appearance or worsening of conditions for which the relationship with the use of combined oral contraceptives has not been proven: jaundice and/or itching associated with cholestasis; the formation of gallbladder stones; porphyria; systemic lupus erythematosus; hemolytic uremic syndrome; chorea; herpes pregnant; otosclerosis-related hearing loss in women with hereditary angioedema, exogenous estrogens can provoke or exacerbate the symptoms of this disease impaired liver function changes in glucose tolerance or effects of peripheral insulin resistance, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, chloasma, hypersensitivity reactions (including symptoms such as rash and urticaria).
Overdose
- Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, spotting or metrorrhagia.
- Treatment: symptomatic. There is no specific antidote.
- No serious overdose violations have been reported.
Drug interactions
It is possible to interact with drugs that induce liver enzymes, which can result in an increase in the clearance of sex hormones and breakthrough bleeding and/or a decrease in the contraceptive effectiveness of the drug.
While taking such drugs, a woman should additionally use the barrier method of contraception in addition to Yasmin birth control or choose another method of contraception. In this case, the barrier method of contraception should be used during the period of concomitant use of drugs and within 28 days after their withdrawal.
Substances that increase the clearance of sex hormones (reduce the effectiveness of combined hormonal contraceptives due to the induction of liver enzymes), for example:
- phenytoin;
- barbiturates;
- primidone;
- carbamazepine;
- rifampicin.
There are also suggestions regarding oxcarbazepine, topiramate, felbamate, griseofulvin, and St. John’s wort preparations.
Substances with various effects on the clearance of combined oral contraceptives
When combined with combined oral contraceptives, many HIV/HCV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors can increase or decrease the concentration of estrogen or progestin in the blood plasma. These changes may in some cases be relevant.