Overview
Yasmin, also called drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, is a combination birth control pill, meaning it contains two types of hormones. The level of hormones is the same in all the 21 active pills. The other seven pills in the monthly pack do not contain any hormones. During the week the user takes the inactive pills, she has her period. When taken correctly, Yasmin is an effective form of birth control, according to RxList. Besides preventing pregnancy, Yasmin also treats other conditions, like premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, according to Drugs.com.
Hormones
Yasmin contains two synthetic hormones. Each active pill contains 3 mg of drospirenone, a synthetic progestin. The pill also has 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol, a type of estrogen.
Preventing Pregnancy
Yasmin is an effective form of birth control, resulting in pregnancy in 0.1 percent of women who always use it correctly, according to RxList. Correct use of Yasmin is taking one pill around the same time every day. The main mechanism of Yasmin is ovulation suppression, in which the ovaries do not release an egg every month. The birth control pill also alters the lining of the uterus and cervix, according to Drugs.com. For example, the change to the uterine lining prevents a fertilized egg from implanting.
Other Purposes
A woman may take Yasmin for reasons other than pregnancy prevention. For example, Yasmin can treat acne in women who are 14 years or older, according to Drugs.com. Yasmin also treats the symptoms of PMDD, a disorder that affects 3 to 8 percent of women, according to the National Institutes of Health. PMDD is more severe than premenstrual disorder, with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, concentration problems and irritability.
Starting Yasmin
A woman starts taking her first Yasmin pill either on the first day of her period or the first Sunday after her period begins. If she misses one of her pills, she should take it as soon as she remembers. Because missing a birth control pill increases a woman’s risk of getting pregnant, she should use a secondary form of birth control, like condoms, when she forgets.
Warnings
Women with certain preexisting conditions should not take Yasmin. These include kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, adrenal gland disorder, jaundice, high blood pressure and stroke. Women who have had uterine cancer or breast cancer or who have an allergy to ethinyl estradiol or drospirenone should not use Yasmin.
About this Author
Lia Stannard has her Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience with an emphasis on neuropsychology. She is a certified sexual assault crisis counselor. She has presented her research in memory at several national conferences. Stannard has been a freelance writer for more than five years, covering women’s health, politics and medicine.
