Women who use hormonal contraceptives such as Yaz birth control may be more likely to develop a rare brain disease known as pseudotumor cerebri, also known as intracranial hypertension, or false brain tumor.

The symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri are due to an excess of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull that puts pressure on the brain including the optic nerve.

Many women with this condition need surgery to drain the build up of cerebrospinal fluid. Without proper treatment, pseudotumor cerebri can cause chronic cranial pressure headaches and even blindness.

What is Yaz?

Bayer Health Care manufactures Yaz birth control, a once-daily contraceptive pill that was approved by the FDA in 2006. Yaz birth control prevents pregnancy by making it harder for sperm to fertilize an egg.

It contains a combination of two hormones, estrogen and a hormone know as drospirenone. These are synthetic versions of naturally-occurring female sex hormones that work by overriding the user’s normal menstrual cycle.

What is Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Pseudotumor cerebri is a rare yet very serious side effect which has been linked to a number of popular birth control methods, including Yaz birth control. The Mayo Clinic states that this condition may becaused by certain hormones found in several in birth control methods such as Yaz.

Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition where pressure inside the skull increases and appears to have symptoms similar to having a tumor. Although a tumor is not present, in many cases, individuals with pseudotumor cerebri present symptoms very similar to those seen with a brain tumor, including:

• Persistent headaches
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Blurred vision
• Lack of or impaired peripheral (side) vision
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Double vision
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Mood changes

In many cases, patients with pseudotumor cerebri face a delayed diagnosis and worsening condition because symptoms can be confused for other illnesses.

If you have been implanted with a form of birth control or use a contraceptive pill such as Yaz birth control, contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the above pseudotumor cerebri symptoms. A delayed diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri may cause permanent complications or even blindness.

Yaz May Increase Risk of Pseudotumor Cerebri

In 2011, the British Medical Journal published a study linking the hormone drospirenone with up to a three-fold increased risk of blood clots.

According to the Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation, blood clots are a potential cause of secondary intracranial hypertension. The complication occurs when blood clots in the brain physically obstruct the cerebral venous sinus, elevating pressure inside the skull.

Additionally, several other studies indicate that Yaz birth control and many similar contraceptive medications have been linked to an increased risk of developing pseudotumor cerebri.

According to one study, as of June 15, over 29,000 people had reported suffering side effects from taking Yaz birth control. Of those 29,000 complaints, 14 people, or .05 percent, reported suffering from pseudotumor cerebri.

Some women who have been diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri as a side effect of Yaz birth control or another form of birth control have opted to file birth control lawsuits.