FDA considers warning on birth control - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

December 13, 2011

Richard and Dianne Ammons' daughter Annie ate right and exercised regularly. Then two years ago, she had a heart attack at 35 and died.

"The medical examiner told me that it was probably caused by a blood clot or inflammation," Dianne Ammons said.

The Ammons family blames Annie's birth control. She was taking a new generation of pills that contains the hormone drosperinone. Studies show pills like Yaz and Yasmin may put women at higher risk for dangerous blood

clots.

"The pill can change how thick the blood is and can increase the chance of clotting, that's all pills. Specifically this drosperinone or Yaz or Yaz like pills increase that clot a little bit more," said Dr. Jacques Moritz of Roosevelt Hospital.

But Bayer, the maker of two of the most popular pills, found no increased blood clot risk.

Doctors say women on the pills for more than six months without problems can probably keep taking them, but many OB-GYNs are not prescribing them for first-time use.

Consumer and women's groups say there are safer options out there.

"I can't see a reason for having birth control pills on the market that are more likely to kill women," said Diana Zuckerman, the president of the National Research Center for Women & Families.

The Ammons are telling Annie's story to warn others.

"We would not be honoring our lovely daughter if we did not get out there and try to say something about this to try and get this drug removed from the market," Richard Ammons said.

They want to make sure what happened to their daughter doesn't happen to anyone else.

Bayer is facings thousands of lawsuits regarding these pills, including one from the Ammons Family.