Ortho Evra
Ortho Evra FAQ
What is the Ortho Evra birth control patch?
Ortho Evra is a thin, flexible birth control patch applied to the lower abdomen, buttocks or upper body on a weekly basis. The Ortho Evra birth control patch delivers a constant flow of the hormones estrogen and progestin to prevent ovulation.
Have any deaths been linked to use of the Ortho Evra birth control patch?
Yes. Since 2002, its first year on the market, the Ortho Evra birth control patch has been linked to the deaths of 23 women.
Is the Ortho Evra birth control patch more dangerous than the pill?
Although the hormones in Ortho Evra are the same as those in birth control pills, the birth control patch delivers them directly into the bloodstream, exposing women to much higher levels of estrogen. More exposure to estrogen may increase the risk of birth control patch side effects, including blood clots, heart attack and stroke.
What are the risks of using the Ortho Evra birth control patch?
The hormones in the Ortho Evra birth control patch are associated with blood clots, which can cause serious disability or death. A woman who uses the Ortho Evra birth control patch may increase her risk of suffering a stroke (blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain) and heart attack (blockage of blood vessels in the heart).
What Ortho Evra patch side effects should I watch for?
Some of the indicators of a heart attack are severe chest pain or tightness in the chest. Signs of a blood clot in the lung include sharp chest pain, coughing up blood or sudden shortness of breath. Warning signs for a stroke are a sudden severe headache, vomiting, dizziness or fainting, a weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, and disturbed vision or speech.
What is being done to protect women from Ortho Evra birth control patch side effects?
Many doctors are warning women to stop using the Ortho Evra birth control patch. The Food and Drug Administration has acted—although it has not yet issued a recall—and Ortho Evra now bears a distinct warning so women understand that the birth control patch exposes them to 60% more estrogen than does the typical birth control pill.
