June 12, 2007
Women’s health alert: Ortho Evra birth control patch
I am one of that generation of women who came of age just as the pill was making its debut. I’m not sure that later gnerations, who have always had access to reliable birth control, can understand the impact that its arrival had on our generation and on society as a whole. For the first time, women had control over their own reproductive choices. The euphoria that followed gave birth to the sexual revolution. AIDS had not yet made itself known and pregnancy could be avoided, so health concerns were not a primary deciding factor governing sexual choices. By the nineteen-seventies though, we were realizing that chemical alteration of natural homonal balance was not without consequences. Concerns have continued to build in the ensuing years as new genrations of women have opted for reliable birth control despite varied levels of health risks. The Ortho Evra birth control patch is a case in point. The patch is still widely in use, depite the risk of known side effects, including a serious risk of blood clots. The FDA has stated the high levels of estrogen delivered by the patch can result in serious injury and even death to women who use it. Yet it remains in wide use and many women seem to be unaware of the risk they are exposing themselves to.
What should you do if you have used or are using the the patch? First and foremost, educate yourself. Start by reading the package inserts. Don’t stop there, though. Talk to your doctor and do a google search for the ortho evra patch. Gather as much information as you can. Secondly, if you believe your health may have been compromised by use of the patch, please check out the Ortho Evra Lawsuit - Birth Control Patch website as you consider your options. A brief questionaire you’ll fill out on the site will help determine your eligibility for a class-action lawsuit representing women damaged by use of the product. The lawsuit can force the pharmaceutial industry and medical profession to take responsibilty for damages they have caused, and can provide women with the money needed to address the health problems that have resulted from the use of the patch.
If there’s anything the sexual revolution taught us, it is that we have choices. Don’t throw away that option. Take control of your health by taking that first step today.
[tags]birth control, birth control patch, birth control and health risks, class-action lawsuit, Ortho Evra lawsuit[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 12:09 am • Health & wellbeing, Society & culture
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June 12th, 2007 at 1:57 am, sassymonkey Says:
Just an FYI because I hadn’t know either until I talked to my doctor - the patch is a lower dosage in Canada than it is in the US. I still switched off it though because my skin started to react to the adhesive.
June 12th, 2007 at 3:30 am, Denise Says:
All hormonal birth control has the risk of blood clots. It’s in all prescribing information. That does not necessarily mean it’s not worth the risk.
The numbers of women with blood clots from Ortho Evra and other hormonal birth control are low. The odds are not high for women who don’t have a history of blood clots and do not smoke.
Michelle uses Ortho Evra. It’s a good solid choice for her and we have no more concerns for her health than we do when she takes any medication.