Yasmin is a form of birth control that prevents pregnancy by altering the lining of both your cervix and uterus. This makes it more difficult for sperm to enter your uterus to fertilize any eggs your ovaries release. No matter how effective Yasmin may be, it is not recommended for everyone, particularly those with health conditions such as high cholesterol.
Yasmin
Yasmin contains both estrogen and progestin, making it a combination birth control pill. In addition to the changes it makes to the lining of your cervix and uterus, the hormones help to prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs. Women who experience PMDD, a more severe form of PMS, take Yasmin to help relieve the symptoms this condition spurs. These symptoms include severe depression, anxiety, lack of energy, breast tenderness and irritability during menstruation.
Associated Risks
Most birth control pills share common risks, such as the development of blood clots, or an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that women taking a combination birth control pill such as Yasmin face a greater danger of experiencing these complications if they have an unhealthy lipid profile or suffer from high cholesterol.
Progestin
Although the hormones in Yasmin play a key factor in its efficacy, they can also have an adverse effect on your cholesterol. Progestin may increase your bad cholesterol, LDL, and decrease your good cholesterol, HDL. While these factors increase your risk of heart disease, progestin itself may have no impact on your risk of developing heart disease.
Last Thoughts
Yasmin may interact adversely with some medications, rosuvastatin among them. Taking Yasmin with this cholesterol-lowering medication may increase the side effects of Yasmin, according to MayoClinic.com. Giving your doctor a complete list of all current medications, along with a complete medical history, allows him to decide if Yasmin is safe for you to take. If he feels both are the right medication for you, he may adjust the dosing or frequency of one or both of these drugs.
