Yazz general information
What is Yazz used for?
If you want to prevent pregnancy, there are many types of contraception you can use for birth control to stop you becoming pregnant. Yazz tablets are a low-dose oral contraceptive pill, also known as a birth control pill or just as “the pill”. They are a combination pill, which is a form of hormonal birth control that you can take daily throughout your menstrual cycle, without interfering with your sexual activity. Yazz contraceptive pills are a highly effective method of contraception if you follow the instructions. If you take them correctly and continuously, the success rate is around 99%. However, you will increase your chances of getting pregnant if you miss a tablet. Yazz contraceptive pills are also used to treat hormone-related conditions including acne, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, while at the same time providing contraception.
How does Yazz affect your menstrual cycle?
Each pack of Yazz contains enough pills for one month’s supply. This is based on the average menstrual cycle being four weeks or 28 days. Each pack includes 24 hormone-containing pills, and four non-hormone tablets (placebo). When you have taken all your pills, your monthly cycle will end with a withdrawal bleed, as your body adjusts to falling hormone levels.
By taking Yazz contraceptive pills regularly you may find that your menstrual periods become lighter and less painful. This will be a welcome relief if you experience painful, heavy periods, a condition called menorrhagia. Before taking the pill, your periods may have been irregular, a condition known as primary dysmenorrhoea. Yazz tablets may be used to help make your periods more regular.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the term given to feelings of low mood and irritability that are associated with hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle and an imbalance in your natural hormone levels. Symptoms of PMS include bloating, swelling or weight gain, which are generally related to fluid retention and are a regular monthly occurrence for many women. These symptoms are usually tolerable and are relieved once menstruation begins. While taking Yazz contraceptive pills you may see an improvement in premenstrual symptoms.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of (PMS) with symptoms including depression, anxiety, mood swings, tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating and sleeping, food cravings, and fatigue, as well as physical symptoms like bloating and breast pain. PMDD can disrupt your daily life and your relationships. Yazz contraceptive pills are used to help correct the hormonal imbalance that contributes to PMDD.
Acne
Other premenstrual symptoms caused by hormonal imbalance include acne and greasiness of the skin and hair. Androgens are usually thought of as male hormone. However, women also produce small amounts of androgen, but some women produce more than others. Androgens stimulate the sebaceous gland to produce sebum. In contrast, oestrogen suppresses sebum production, as well as inhibiting androgen production. If too much sebum is produced, it combines with dead skin cells, and the pores of the skin become clogged. The blocked pores cause skin blemishes like whiteheads (enclosed blockage within a hair follicle) and blackheads or comedones (when the plug of sebum and skin cells is pushed to the skin surface). Yazz tablets are used to treat moderate acne vulgaris in women as well as providing oral contraception.
How does Yazz work?
Yazz contraceptive pills contain a combination of two hormones in the same pill. These are ethinyloestradiol, a synthetic oestrogen, and drospirenone, a synthetic progestogen that has a similar action in the menstrual cycle as natural progesterone. Both hormones work together to protect against pregnancy by disrupting the menstrual cycle.
Each month, a woman’s body prepares for a possible pregnancy, and this depends on a complex interaction between the female sex hormones produced by the ovaries. Oestrogen stimulates egg maturation within the egg follicle, and ovulation, which is when a mature egg is released ready to be fertilised by a male sperm. Progesterone prepares the endometrium (lining of the uterus) for implantation of an embryo. Oestrogen levels peak halfway through the cycle. Levels of progesterone begin to rise at mid-cycle once the egg has been fertilised, and oestrogen levels fall. Oestrogen and progesterone production is regulated by follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH). These hormones are released by the pituitary gland and controlled by gonadotrophin-releasing hormones produced by the hypothalamus in the brain.
Ethinylestradiol in Yazz blocks the release of FSH by the pituitary gland, and this prevents development of the egg follicle. Drospirenone in Yazz tablets works by blocking the increase in LH levels needed for ovulation to occur. Yazz tablets maintain constant hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle. This prevents egg maturation and suppresses ovulation, as well as preventing endometrial development. Even if an egg were to be fertilised, it would not be able to implant in the endometrium and grow into a foetus.
The cervical membrane of the cervix produces mucus, which is usually thick in consistency but changes at ovulation to become thinner. Another contraceptive action of Yazz tablets is that this mucus remains thick, forming a physical barrier to sperm.
The combination of a low dose oestrogen and a progestin in Yazz tablets helps reduce androgen levels. This reduces sebum production in hair follicles and helps prevent acne in women, as well as providing contraction.
What does Yazz contain?
Yazz contraceptive pills contain a combination of two active ingredients. The hormones, ethinyloestradiol (20mcg), a synthetic oestrogen, and drospirenone (3mg), a synthetic progestogen, which work together to protect against pregnancy. There are 24 pink hormone-containing pills per pack which also contain lactose, maize starch, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, purified talc, titanium dioxide, iron oxide red. There are four white placebo (non-hormonal) pills per pack, which contain lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, purified talc, and titanium dioxide.
What are the side effects of Yazz?
Most medications have some side effects, but they are not experienced by everyone. Some side effects are commonly experienced when taking Yazz, but others are not so common, and you should discuss any problems or concerns with your primary care physician.
Common side effects when taking Yazz include breast tenderness, breast pain, nausea, depression, migraine, vaginal bleeding.
When should Yazz not be used?
Have a talk with your primary healthcare physician before taking Yazz so that you have a full understanding of what this medicine is for and how to use it. There are some reasons for not taking a medication; these are called contraindications, and for Yazz you should consider the following before taking Yazz:
- Have you ever had an unusual reaction or an allergy when taking Yazz?
- Are you pregnant or planning to become pregnant?
- Do you have any problems with your kidneys or your liver?
- Do you have a history of carcinoma of the breast, endometrial carcinoma or liver adenomas or carcinomas?
- Do you have high blood pressure, lipid disorders or migraine?
- Have you had jaundice at any time or gall bladder disease?
- Have you or any family members had deep venous thrombosis (blood clots in the legs), thromboembolic disorders (formation of blood clots), heart attack or stroke?
- Are you a heavy smoker, as this can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke?
- Do you have diabetes with changes to the blood vessels?
- Do you have any abnormal vaginal bleeding of unknown cause?
What medications interact with Yazz?
Some medicines interact with Yazz contraceptive pills and may affect the way it works, or are affected by Yazz or increase side effects; you should discuss possible interactions with your primary care physician.
Some medications interact with Yazz contraceptive pills and prevent them working effectively, increasing your risk of becoming pregnant. If you are taking any of the following you may need to take other contraceptive precautions: anticonvulsants like phenytoin and carbamazepine, barbiturates, anti-infectives like rifampicin and rifabutin, nevirapine and ritonavir for HIV, the antifungal griseofulvin, antibiotics like penicillin and erythromycin, preparations containing St John's Wort.
If you are taking a combination of anti-viral medications for Hepatitis C, including ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir and dasabuvir, this may worsen liver conditions.
If other medications may interact with Yazz, your doctor will discuss these with you.
How should Yazz be taken and for how long?
You should take your Yazz contraceptive pills swallowed whole with a glass of water with or without food, and it is important that you take your pill at the same time each day.
Each pack of Yazz contraceptive pills contains 28 pills for a complete monthly cycle and should be taken continually to ensure effective contraception. The first 24 pink pills contain the contraceptive hormones, and the last four white pills are a placebo, which do not contain any hormones. While you are taking these placebo pills you will have a menstrual bleed. When you have finished one pack, start a new one the next day. If you have gastrointestinal problems like vomiting or diarrhoea within three to four hours of taking your hormonal pill, this is the same as missing a pill and you should take other contraceptive precautions for the next seven days.
Missed dose of Yazz
It is important that you take your Yazz contraceptive pills for seven uninterrupted days to ensure you do not become pregnant. However, if you miss a dose of the pink hormonal Yazz contraceptive pills follow these guidelines to help you decide what to do:
- If you are less than 24 hours late in taking your pill, take it as soon as you remember and take the next one at your usual time. You are still protected against pregnancy.
- If you are more than 24 hours late in taking your pill, this is counted as a missed pill and you should follow these detailed instructions:
Day 1-7 (pink hormonal pills)
Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills at the same time, and then take your next pill at the usual time. Contraceptive protection may be reduced, and you are at risk of becoming pregnant, unless you use other contraceptive precautions for the next seven days.
Day 8-14 (pink hormonal pills)
Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills at the same time, and then take your next pill at the usual time. You are still protected against pregnancy, provided you have not missed more than one pill.
Day 15-24 (pink hormonal pills)
Take the missed pill as soon as you remember, even if this means taking two pills at the same time, and then take your next pill at the usual time. When all the active pink pills are used up, discard the last four inactive white pills and start a new pack right away.
Day 24-28 (white non-hormonal pills)
Take the next pill as usual and discard the missed pill. You are not at risk of becoming pregnant.
Vomiting and diarrhoea
If you have gastrointestinal problems like vomiting or severe diarrhoea within three to four hours of taking your hormonal pill, this is the same as missing a pill and you should follow the guidelines above.
Note: If you are in doubt always consult your health professional.
How should Yazz be stored?
You should keep your Yazz contraceptive pills in their calendar pack until use and store below 25°C in a cool dry place.