YAZ® CMI VX3.0 1
YAZ®
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Why am I using YAZ?
YAZ contains the active ingredients drospirenone and ethinylestradiol (as betadex clathrate). YAZ is a combined oral
contraceptive used to prevent pregnancy, treat moderate acne and treat symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
(PMDD) in women seeking oral contraception. For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using YAZ?
in the full CMI.
2. What should I know before I use YAZ?
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to YAZ or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions especially if it increases your risk of blood clots, if you have or
had blood clots, certain cancers or migraines. Tell your doctor if you take any other medicines, are pregnant or plan to
become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use YAZ?
in the full CMI.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Some medicines may interfere with YAZ and affect how it works. The main types of medicines that affect how well YAZ works
include certain antibiotics, antifungal medicines, HIV treatments, hepatitis C virus treatments, epilepsy medicines, medicines
for high blood pressure and the heart.
A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines?
in the full CMI.
4. How do I use YAZ?
• Take one tablet daily at about the same time each day. Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water.
• If you vomit within 3-4 hours or have severe diarrhoea after taking a light pink active tablet, the active ingredients may
not have been completely absorbed. This is like missing a tablet. Follow the advice for missed tablets.
More instructions can be found in Section 4. How do I use YAZ ?
in the full CMI.
5. What should I know while using YAZ?
Things you
should do
• Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using YAZ.
• Use additional barrier contraceptives (e.g. condoms) to protect yourself from STIs.
• Tell your doctor if you are going to have surgery or if you plan to travel by air for greater than 4 hours.
• Stop taking YAZ and call your doctor immediately if you notice signs of a possible blood clot e.g.
chest pains, breathlessness or difficulty breathing, swelling, pain or tenderness of one leg, sudden
dizziness, loss of balance, trouble speaking or seeing.
Things you
should not do
Do not stop taking your medicine or change the dosage without checking with your doctor. You may
become pregnant if you are not using any other contraceptive and you stop taking Yaz, or do not take a
tablet every day.
Looking after
your medicine
Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight where the temperature says below 30°C.
For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while using YAZ? in the full CMI.
6. Are there any side effects?
Less serious side effects can include irregular periods or bleeding between periods, breast pain, mood changes, nausea,
headaches (including migraines). Serious side effects include signs of a blood clot (e.g. breathlessness, sudden weakness/pins
and needles, sudden stomach pains, fainting, unusual headaches or migraines that are worse than usual, sudden problems
speaking, sudden trouble walking, pain in chest, arms or below breast bone); jaundice (yellowing skin or eyes); coughing up
blood; unexplained vaginal bleeding; breast lumps.
For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects?
in the full CMI.
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 2
YAZ®
Active ingredients: drospirenone and ethinylestradiol (as betadex clathrate)
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using
YAZ. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist
if you would like further information or if you have any
concerns or questions about using YAZ.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using YAZ?
2. What should I know before I use YAZ?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I use YAZ?
5. What should I know while using YAZ?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details
1. Why am I using YAZ?
YAZ contains the active ingredients drospirenone and
ethinylestradiol (as betadex clathrate). YAZ is a combined
oral contraceptive, commonly known as a ‘birth control
pill’ or ‘the Pill’.
YAZ has 24 active (hormone) tablets and 4 inactive tablets,
rather than the traditional 21 active tablets and 7 inactive
tablets. This means that with YAZ, you take the active
(hormone) tablets for three more days. This helps your
hormone levels to stay even.
YAZ is used to:
• prevent pregnancy
• treat moderate acne
• treat symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
(PMDD) in women seeking oral contraception.
While taking YAZ you may also experience more regular
and lighter periods – which may also help to improve iron
deficiency (anaemia). YAZ can also help to decrease period
pain as well as improve symptoms such as bloating,
swelling or weight gain related to fluid retention.
When taken correctly, it prevents you from becoming
pregnant in several ways, including:
• inhibiting the egg release by stopping it from maturing
• changing the cervical mucus consistency, making it
more difficult for the sperm to reach the egg.
When the Pill is taken by women under close observation
in clinical trials, it is more than 99% effective in preventing
pregnancy. However, in real life the Pill is around 92%
effective. This is because pills might be missed or taken
with medicines that may interfere with their effectiveness
or may not be absorbed due to vomiting and diarrhoea.
2. What should I know before I use YAZ?
Like all oral contraceptives, YAZ is intended to prevent
pregnancy. It does not protect against HIV infection
(AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections.
Warnings
Do not use YAZ if:
• you have an allergy to drospirenone, ethinylestradiol,
or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this
leaflet.
Always check the ingredients to make sure you can
use this medicine.
• you are taking antiviral medicines which contain:
glecaprevir, pibrentasvir, sofosbuvir, velpatasvir,
voxilaprevir, ombitasvir, paritaprevir, or dasabuvir,
and combinations of these. These antiviral medicines
are used to treat long term hepatitis C (an infectious
disease that affects the liver, caused by the hepatitis C
virus).
• you have, or have had:
o a blood clot in the blood vessels of the legs (deep
vein thrombosis - DVT), the lungs (pulmonary
embolism – PE), the heart (heart attack), the
brain (stroke) or other parts of the body.
o any blood clotting disorders such as Protein C
deficiency, Protein S deficiency, Leiden Factor V
mutation, Antithrombin III deficiency or other
inherited blood clotting conditions
o a confirmed blood test showing:
- increased levels of homocysteine
- antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) e.g.
anticardiolipin-antibodies and lupus
anticoagulant. These may increase your
risk for blood clots or miscarriages
o major surgery after which you have not been
able to move around for a period of time
o angina (chest pain)
o mini stroke (also known as TIA or transient
ischaemic attack)
o severe kidney insufficiency or an acute failure of
your kidney
o migraines, where you have also had problems
with seeing, speaking or had weakness or
numbness in any part of your body
o high risk of blood clots due to conditions such as
diabetes with blood vessel damage, severe high
blood pressure or severe high or low level of fats
in your blood
o pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas)
associated with high levels of fatty substances in
your blood
o severe liver disease and your liver function has
not returned to normal
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 3
o cancer that may grow under the influence of sex
hormones (e.g. of the breast or the genital
organs)
o a benign or malignant liver tumour
o unexplained vaginal bleeding
• you have or are concerned about an increased risk of
blood clots.
You are more at risk of having a blood clot when you
take the Pill. But the risk of having a blood clot when
taking the Pill is less than the risk during pregnancy.
Check with your doctor if you:
• smoke
• or anyone in your immediate family has had blood
clots in the legs (DVT) or lungs (PE), a heart attack,
a stroke, breast cancer or high cholesterol.
• have, or have had any of the following medical
conditions:
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- heart valve disorders or certain heart
rhythm disorders
- an increased potassium blood level (e.g. due to
problems with your kidney/s) and also use
diuretics or other drugs that may increase the
potassium in your blood
- cancer
- hyperhomocysteinaemia, a condition
characterised by high levels of the amino acid
homocysteine in the blood.
• are overweight
• have any hereditary or acquired conditions that may
make it more likely for you to get blood clots
• have high cholesterol or triglycerides
• have liver disease
• have kidney disease
• have jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and/or pruritus
(itching of the skin) related to cholestasis (condition in
which the flow of bile from the liver stops or slows)
• have gall bladder disease
• have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis
(chronic inflammatory bowel disease)
• have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE – a disease
affecting the skin all over the body)
• have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS– a disorder
of blood coagulation causing failure of the kidneys)
• have sickle cell disease
• have a condition that occurred for the first time, or
worsened during pregnancy or previous use of sex
hormones (e.g. hearing loss, a metabolic disease
called porphyria, a skin disease called herpes
gestationis, a neurological disease called Sydenham’s
chorea)
• have chloasma (yellowish-brown pigmentation
patches on the skin, particularly of the face) – if so,
avoid exposure to the sun or ultraviolet radiation
• have hereditary angio-oedema – you should see your
doctor immediately if you experience symptoms of
angio-oedema, such as swollen face, tongue and/or
pharynx and/or difficulty swallowing, or hives
together with difficulty in breathing.
If any of these conditions appear for the first time, recur or
worsen while using the Pill, stop taking it at once and tell
your doctor. In the meantime use non-hormonal (barrier)
methods of contraception (such as condoms or a
diaphragm).
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain
side effects. It is important you understand these risks and
how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section 6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend
to become pregnant. Do not take this medicine if you
are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
• Tell your doctor immediately if you think you are
pregnant.
• Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend
to breastfeed. YAZ is generally not recommended if
you are breastfeeding.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other
medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or
supplements that you buy without a prescription from
your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and YAZ may interfere with each other.
These include:
Medicine class
Examples
Antibiotics rifampicin, rifabutin, macrolide
antibiotics (e.g. Clarithromycin,
erythromycin)
Antifungal medicines
griseofluvin, ketoconazole
HIV medicines
ritonavir, nevirapine
Hepatitis C Virus
(HCV) medicines
boceprevir, telaprevir,
glecaprevir, pibrentasvir,
ombitasvir, paritaprevir, or
dasabuvir, and combinations of
these.
Epilepsy medicines phenytoin, primidone,
barbiturates (e.g.
phenobarbitone),
carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine,
topiramate, felbamate,
lamotrigine
Immunosuppressants
cyclosporin
Medicines for high
blood pressure, chest
pain and or irregular
heart beats
diltiazem, verapamil,
spironolactone, eplerenone
ACE inhibitors (e.g. lisinopril,
perindopril), angiotensin II
receptor blockers (e.g.
candesartan, irbesartan),
diuretics (e.g.
hydrochlorothiazide,
furosemide), aldosterone
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 4
antagonists (e.g.
spironolactone, eplerenone)
Anti-inflammatory
medicines
etoricoxib, indomethacin
Other melatonin
midazolam
theophylline
St John’s Wort
grapefruit juice
These medicines may be affected by YAZ or may affect
how well it works. They can:
• have an influence on the blood levels of YAZ
• make it less effective in preventing pregnancy
• cause unexpected bleeding.
Your doctor may need to alter the dose of these
medicines, or prescribe a different medicine.
You may need to use additional barrier methods of
contraception (such as condoms or a diaphragm) while
you are taking any of these medicines and for some time
after stopping them. Your doctor will be able to tell you
how long you will need to use additional contraceptive
methods.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure
about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are
taking and if these affect YAZ.
4. How do I use YAZ?
How much to take
Take one tablet daily at about the same time each day.
You must take YAZ every day regardless of how often you
have sex. This will also help you remember when to take it.
How to take YAZ
• Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water. It
does not matter if you take it before or after food.
• If you vomit within 3-4 hours or have severe diarrhoea
after taking a light pink active tablet, the active
ingredients may not have been completely absorbed.
This is like missing a tablet. Follow the advice for
missed tablets.
• Each blister pack is marked with the day of the week.
• Take your first tablet from the green area on the
blister pack corresponding to the day of the week.
• Follow the direction of the arrows on the blister pack
until all the tablets have been taken.
• Your period should begin 2-3 days after starting to
take the white inactive tablets and may not have
finished before the next pack is started.
• Always start a new blister pack on the same day of the
week as your previous pack.
Taking YAZ for the first time
If you are starting YAZ after a natural cycle, and you have
not used a hormonal contraceptive in the past month,
start on the first day of your period, i.e. on the first day of
your menstrual bleeding.
You may also start on days 2-5 of your period, but in that
case make sure you also use additional barrier
contraceptive precautions (e.g. condom) for the first 7
days of tablet-taking.
Your doctor will advise you when to start if you:
• are taking YAZ after having a baby
• have had a miscarriage or an abortion.
Changing from another contraceptive
Type of
contraceptive
How do I change
over to YAZ?
Will I need
additional
contraception?
Combined
oral
contraceptive
Start taking YAZ on
the day after taking
the last active tablet
in your previous pill
pack. Bleeding may
not occur until the
end of the first pack
of YAZ.
You can also switch
to YAZ after taking
one or more inactive
tablets in your
previous pack, but
no later than the day
after taking the last
inactive tablet
No
Vaginal ring
Start YAZ on the day
of removal of the
vaginal ring or, at the
latest, when the next
application would
have been due
No
Progesterone
only pill
(minipill)
Stop taking the
minipill on any day
and start taking YAZ
at the same time the
day after you took
your last minipill
You must also
use additional
barrier
contraceptive
precautions
(e.g. condoms
or a
diaphragm) for
the first 7 days
of tablet-taking
when having
intercourse
Progestogen-
only
injection,
implant or
intrauterine
system (IUS)
Start taking YAZ
when your next
injection is due, or
on the day that your
implant or IUS is
removed
If you want to delay a period
To delay your period:
• continue taking the light pink active tablets in the
current blister
• skip the white inactive tablets in the last row of the
same blister, and
• start a new blister by taking the light pink active tablet
from the green area corresponding to the day of the
week (to ensure that you take your tablets on the
corresponding day of the week as marked on the
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 5
pack, you may have some extra tablets left over in
your current blister which you can discard).
You can continue to delay your period by skipping the
white inactive tablet in the second blister. The delay can
be extended until the last light pink active tablet in the
third blister is taken.
If you wish for your period to begin at any time during the
extension, stop taking the light pink active tablets and
start taking the white inactive tablets instead.
You should get your period approximately 2 – 3 days after
you start taking the white inactive tablet. After taking the
last white inactive tablet, start a new blister by taking the
light pink active tablet.
During the extension, you may have some breakthrough
bleeding or spotting on active tablet-taking days.
If you forget to use YAZ
For YAZ to be most effective, light pink active tablets need
to be taken uninterrupted for 7 days.
If you are late taking a tablet but still take it within 24
hours, contraception is maintained. If you are more than
24 hours late, this is called a missed pill. Follow these
detailed instructions:
• If you have been taking the light pink active tablets
for 7 uninterrupted days and miss a light pink active
tablet, take the missed tablet as soon as you
remember, then go back to taking your medicine as
you would normally, even if this means taking two
tablets in one day. You will not need to use additional
barrier contraceptive precautions.
• The chance of pregnancy after missing a light pink
active tablet depends on when you missed the tablet.
There is a higher risk of becoming pregnant if you miss
a tablet at the beginning or end of a pack.
o If after taking your missed tablet you have less
than 7 days of light pink active tablets left in a
row, you should finish the active tablets in your
pack but skip the white inactive tablets and
start a new pack.
o This is the best way to maintain contraceptive
protection. However, you may not have a period
until the end of the light pink active tablets of
the second pack. You may have spotting or
breakthrough bleeding on tablet-taking days.
• If you have been taking the light pink active tablets
for less than 7 days and miss a light pink active
tablet, take the missed tablet as soon as you
remember, then go back to taking your medicine as
you would normally, even if this means taking two
tablets in one day. In addition, you must also use
additional barrier contraceptive precautions (e.g.
condoms or a diaphragm) for the next 7 days.
o If you have had sexual intercourse during that
time, there is a possibility of pregnancy and you
may need emergency contraception.
• If you forget to take more than one light pink active
tablet, seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist
about what to do.
o If you have had sexual intercourse in the week
before missing your tablets, there is a possibility
of becoming pregnant.
• If you miss a white inactive tablet, you do not need to
take them later because they do not contain any
active ingredients. However, it is important that you
discard the missed white tablet(s) to make sure that
the number of days between taking active tablets is
not increased as this would increase the risk of
pregnancy. Continue with the next tablet at the usual
time.
Please see the diagram at the end of this leaflet for
“Summary of advice if you missed a light pink active
tablet more than 24 hours ago”.
Stopping YAZ
You can stop taking YAZ at any time. If you are considering
becoming pregnant, it is recommended that you begin
taking a vitamin supplement containing folic acid. It is best
that you start taking folic acid tablets before you stop
taking YAZ and not stop until your doctor advises this. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist about suitable supplements. It
is both safe and recommended that you take folic acid
during pregnancy.
If you take too much YAZ
If you think that you have used too much YAZ, you may
need urgent medical attention.
You should immediately:
• phone the Poisons Information Centre
(by calling 13 11 26 in Australia or 0800 764 766 in
New Zealand), or
• contact your doctor, or
• go to the Emergency Department at your nearest
hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of
discomfort or poisoning.
If you take several light pink active tablets at once, you
may feel sick or vomit or may bleed from the vagina. Even
girls who have not yet started to menstruate but have
accidentally taken this medicine may experience such
bleeding.
5. What should I know while using YAZ?
Things you should do
• Tell any doctors, dentists and pharmacists who treat
you that you are taking this medicine.
• If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your
doctor that you are taking this medicine. It may
interfere with the results of some tests.
• Use additional barrier contraceptives (e.g. condoms)
to protect yourself from STIs. YAZ will not protect you
from HIV-AIDS or any other Sexually Transmitted
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 6
Infections (STIs), such as chlamydia, genital herpes,
genital warts, gonorrhoea, hepatitis B, human
papilloma virus and syphilis
• If you are going to have surgery, tell your doctor
beforehand that you are taking YAZ. The risk of
having blood clots is temporarily increased as a result
of major surgery, any surgery to the legs or pelvis,
neurosurgery or major trauma.
• In women at risk of prolonged immobilisation
(including major surgery, any surgery to the legs or
pelvis, neurosurgery, or major trauma), your doctor
may tell you to stop taking (in the case of elective
surgery at least four weeks in advance) and not
resume until two weeks after complete
remobilisation. Another method of contraception
should be used to avoid unintentional pregnancy. Your
doctor may prescribe other treatment (e.g. treatment
for blood clots) if YAZ has not been discontinued in
advance.
• Tell your doctor if you plan to air travel for greater
than 4 hours. There may be an increased risk of blood
clots due to lack of movement, particularly in women
with other risk factors.
• Have regular check-ups with your doctor. When you
are taking the Pill, your doctor will tell you to return
for regular check-ups, including getting a Cervical
Screening Test. Your doctor will advise how often you
need a Cervical Screening Test. A Cervical Screening
Test can detect abnormal cells lining the cervix.
Sometimes abnormal cells can progress to cancer.
• Tell your doctor if you develop high blood pressure
while taking YAZ – you may be told to stop taking it.
• If you are about to start on any new medicine,
remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are
taking YAZ.
Call your doctor straight away if you notice the
following signs:
• one-sided swelling of the leg and/or foot or along a
vein in the leg
• pain or tenderness in the leg which may be felt only
when standing or walking
• increased warmth in the affected leg; red or
discoloured skin on the leg
• sudden onset of unexplained shortness of breath or
rapid breathing
• sudden coughing or coughing up of blood
• sharp chest pain or sudden severe pain in the chest
which may increase with deep breathing
• severe light headedness or dizziness
• rapid or irregular heartbeat
• sudden pain, swelling and slight blue discoloration of
an extremity
• sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,
especially on one side of the body
• sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or
coordination
• sudden confusion, slurred speech or aphasia; sudden
partial or complete loss of vision, double vision,
painless blurring of vision which can progress to loss of
vision
• sudden, severe or prolonged headache with no known
cause
• loss of consciousness or fainting with or without
seizure
• pain, discomfort, pressure, heaviness, sensation of
squeezing or fullness in the chest arm, or below the
breastbone
• discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, arm,
stomach
• feeling of being full, having indigestion or choking
• sweating, nausea, vomiting
• extreme weakness and anxiety
• unexpected bleeding and it continues, becomes heavy,
or occurs again
• pregnancy
Things you should not do
• Do not take YAZ to treat any other conditions, unless
your doctor tells you to.
• Do not give your medicine to anyone else.
• Do not stop taking your medicine or change
the dosage without checking with your doctor. You
may become pregnant if you are not using any other
contraceptive and you stop taking YAZ, or do not take
a tablet every day.
Bleeding and Missed Periods
When taking these tablets for the first few months, you
can have irregular vaginal bleeding (spotting or
breakthrough bleeding) between your periods. You may
need to use sanitary products, but continue to take your
tablets as normal. Irregular vaginal bleeding usually stops
once your body has adjusted to the Pill, usually after about
3 months.
If you have missed a period, but you have taken all your
tablets, it is very unlikely that you are pregnant, as long
as:
• you have taken the light pink active tablets at the right
time
• you have not been taking medicine(s) that may interfere
with YAZ
• you have not vomited or had severe diarrhoea during
this cycle.
If this is so, continue to take YAZ as usual. If you have any
concerns consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you miss your period twice in a row, you may be
pregnant even if you have taken the Pill correctly. Stop
taking YAZ and seek advice from your doctor. You must
use a non-hormonal method of contraception, (such as
condoms or a diaphragm) until your doctor rules out
pregnancy.
If you choose to delay your period while taking YAZ, your
regular bleeding is not expected to occur during the
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 7
extension period when the intake of the light pink active
tablet is uninterrupted. Therefore, the absence of regular
bleeding cannot be used as a sign of an unexpected
pregnancy and as such, unexpected pregnancy may be
difficult to recognise. Although pregnancy is unlikely if YAZ
is taken as directed, if for any reason you think you might
be pregnant, contact your doctor and do a pregnancy test.
This may be of particular importance if you are also using
other medications, since some medications are known to
be harmful to the foetus.
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools
until you know how YAZ affects you.
Looking after your medicine
Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care
of your medicine properly.
Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or
sunlight where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do NOT store it in the bathroom or near a sink, or in the
car or on window sills.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of
date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
6. Are there any side effects?
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience
any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary.
However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your
doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions
about side effects.
Less serious side effects
Less serious side effects What to do
Reproductive system-related
• unscheduled vaginal bleeding
• abnormal periods
• irregular bleeding between
periods
• breast tenderness or pain
Mood related
• mood changes, including
depression
General
• nausea
• headache, including migraines
Speak to your
doctor if you
have any of
these less
serious side
effects and
they worry you.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects What to do
Signs of blood clot, such as:
• pain in the chest, arm or below
the breastbone
• pain or discomfort that goes to
your back
• breathlessness and/or difficulty
breathing
• swelling, pain or tenderness of
one leg
• sudden weakness, numbness or
bad ‘pins and needles’ of the
face, arm or leg, especially on
one side of the body
• sudden trouble walking,
dizziness, loss of balance or
coordination
• severe, sudden stomach pains
• a fainting attack, or you collapse
• unusual headaches or migraines
that are worse than usual
• sudden problems with speech,
understanding or eyesight
Liver-related
• jaundice (yellowing skin or
yellowing eyes)
Blood-related
• coughing up blood
Reproductive system-related
• breast lumps
• unexplained vaginal bleeding
Call your doctor
straight away,
or go straight
to the
Emergency
Department at
your nearest
hospital if you
notice any of
these serious
side effects.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else
that may be making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some
people.
Blood clots and the Pill
Blood clots are rare. Very occasionally blood clots may
cause serious permanent disability and may even be fatal.
Blood clots can form, travel and block different blood
vessels in the body. They can occur in the deep veins of
the legs (causing deep vein thrombosis), the clot can travel
and cause a blockage in the lungs (called pulmonary
embolism). Blood clots can occur in the blood vessels of
the heart (causing a heart attack) or the brain (causing a
stroke).
All combined oral contraceptive pills, including YAZ,
increase the risk of having a blood clot. However, blood
clots can form whether or not you are taking the pill,
including in pregnancy. The risk of having a blood clot
when taking YAZ is less than the risk of having a blood clot
during pregnancy.
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 8
The risk of a blood clot is highest during the first year of
taking the Pill for the first time, or when re-starting after
having a break from the Pill for 4 weeks or more.
Stop taking YAZ and call your doctor straight away, or go
straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest
hospital if you notice signs of a possible blood clot.
To prevent pregnancy, you must also use additional barrier
contraceptive precautions (e.g. condoms or a diaphragm).
Cancer and the Pill
• Breast cancer has been diagnosed slightly more often
in women who take the Pill than in women of the
same age who do not take the Pill.
• This slight increase in the numbers of breast cancer
diagnoses gradually disappears during the course of
the 10 years after women stop taking the Pill.
• It is not known whether the difference is caused by
the Pill. It may be that these women were examined
more often, so that the breast cancer was noticed
earlier.
• It is important that you check your breasts regularly
and contact your doctor if you feel any lumps.
• In rare cases benign liver tumours and, even more
rarely, malignant liver tumours have been reported in
users of the Pill. These tumours may lead to internal
bleeding.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you have severe
pain in your abdomen.
• Cervical cancer has been reported to occur more often
in women who have been taking the Pill for a long
time. This finding may not be caused by the Pill, but
may be related to sexual behaviour and other factors.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects
you experience, you can report side effects to the
Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems
or in New Zealand at
https://pophealth.my.site.com/carmreportnz/s/. By
reporting side effects, you can help provide more
information on the safety of this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or
pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your
medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What YAZ contains
Active ingredients
(main ingredients in
the light pink
tablets)
• 3 milligram drospirenone
• 20 microgram
ethinylestradiol (as
betadex clathrate)
Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
Light pink tablet
• lactose monohydrate
• maize starch
• hypromellose
• magnesium stearate
• purified talc
• titanium dioxide
• iron oxide red
White tablet
• lactose monohydrate
• microcrystalline cellulose
• magnesium stearate
• hypromellose
• purified talc
• titanium dioxide
Potential allergens
Lactose monohydrate
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of
these ingredients.
What YAZ looks like
YAZ active tablets are light pink round tablets marked on
one side with the letters "DS" in a regular hexagon.
YAZ inactive tablets are white round tablets marked on
one side with the letters "DP" in a regular hexagon.
YAZ comes in a box containing either 1 or 3 blister packs.
Each blister pack contains 24 light pink active tablets and 4
white inactive tablets. (AUST R 226241)
Who distributes YAZ
Bayer Australia Ltd
ABN 22 000 138 714
875 Pacific Highway
Pymble, NSW 2073
Bayer New Zealand
Hillcrest North Shore
Auckland 0627
New Zealand
See TGA website (www.ebs.tga.gov.au
) for latest
Australian Consumer Medicine Information.
See MEDSAFE website (www.medsafe.govt.nz) for latest
New Zealand Consumer Medicine Information.
® Registered Trademark of the Bayer Group, Germany
© Bayer Australia Ltd
All rights reserved.
This leaflet was prepared in August 2024.
YAZ® CMI VX3.0 9
Summary of advice if you missed a light
pink active tablet more than 24 hours ago
Before missing
your tablet, did
you take light
pink active
tablets for the
previous 7 days?
No
Did you
have sex in
the 7 days
before
missing the
tablet?
No
Take the tablet missed AND use extra
barrier precaution for 7 days. If there are fewer
than 7 light pink active tablets left in the pack,
finish the active tablets and go straight to the light
pink active tablets of the next pack. This means
you skip the white inactive tablets.
Yes
See your Doctor or Pharmacist for advice
Yes
Does your
pack still
have 7
active light
pink tablets
in a row to
follow?
No
Take the tablet missed AND complete
taking the light pink active tablets. Skip
the white inactive tablets. Start your next pack
with the light pink active tablets
Yes
Take the tablet missed AND
complete the pack as normal
