Many women take birth control, and scientists try to find ways to make the process easier and more effective. There are side effects to taking any type of birth control, and the FDA requires that a pharmacist goes over these side effects with you. The most common side effects have been headaches, nausea, breast sensitivity, abdominal pain, and menstrual cramps. Most women do not see the side effects, or at least they don’t report them. There have always been a few women that suffer serious side effects from taking birth control, so scientists have worked on the side effects and tried to create a better way to use this type of contraceptive. One of the most popular birth control methods to hit the pharmacy shelves was the Ortho Evra Patch.

The Ortho Evra Patch is a non-oral contraceptive. This means you place the patch somewhere on your body and the hormone is directed into your body from that site. According to a few studies, there is 60% more estrogen in these patches than the pill. The benefits of the patch were eliminating an everyday pill for replacing the patch once a week. As with any drug on the market, there are side effects. Most women initially suffered from headaches, breast sensitivity, nausea, menstrual cramps, abdominal pain, and application site reaction. If the symptoms persisted after a certain period of time, they were supposed to stop using the patch and seek a physician’s advice. There are, however, more serious side effects not taken into account. One of these side effects is blood clots, and the other is upper respiratory problems.

In 2004, 80,000 women were using the Ortho Evra Patch. There were 44 reports of blood clots leading to fatality. The fatal blood clots could lead to deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. An embolism leads to strokes, heart attacks, hemorrhaging, and death. Not all cases will lead to death if the person is seen immediately regarding symptoms, and the site of the blood clot makes a difference. All birth control was determined to cause blood clots in certain women; typically these blood clots would form in the legs. If a doctor caught the problem soon enough the condition would not be fatal. Those who developed blood clots in other areas of the body, such as their brain or heart, may not have felt the side effects until it was too late.

After the reports in 2004, it was determined that the Ortho Evra Patch was three times more deadly than oral contraceptive. When we take medication, we are aware of certain side effects, but until studies were done about blood clots forming from the use of Ortho Evra Patch, women were largely unaware of the damage the patch could have on their lives. If you or someone you know has suffered from blood clots you should seek a lawyer. A lawyer who specializes in Ortho Evra Patch cases can help you receive compensation for its damaging effects.

Lawyers who specialize in these cases seek compensation for family members who had a loved one die from blood clots related to the Ortho Evra Patch or who may have suffered a debilitating stroke or heart attack because of the patch. Again, blood clots can form anywhere in your body and, although they were found typically in the legs of women, there is a percentage of women who developed blood clots around their hearts or in their brains. Remember, the number of reports listed for damaging effects of the Ortho Evra Patch may not be the true amounts of women who have suffered: a lot of women don’t report incidents when they should. You should receive compensation for yourself or a loved one who has been affected by the use of the patch. Birth control is a part of many women’s everyday life, and we should be secure in the products we use.