Cedar Rapids woman sues Bayer over side effects of birth control pill

A Cedar Rapids woman is suing the Bayer Corporation and others for negligence and liability of a birth control pill after the woman suffered a stroke and other life threatening side effects.

Adrienne and her husband Kenneth Cechura filed the civil suit Monday in U.S. District Court, claiming Adrienne took Ocella, the generic version of the oral contraceptive YAZ, from April to July and suffered side effects of a stroke and other serious injuries.

The suit contends Adrienne Cechura is now at greater risk to develop blood clots in the deep veins and lungs from progestins in this product. Because of the risk of blood clots, the FDA required these products to include a warning of the increased risk of thrombosis - formation of blood clots in blood vessels.

There have been hundreds of reports of injury and death related to YAZ and Yasmin birth control pills, according to the lawsuit. In less than a five year period, from 2004 to 2008, over 50 reports of death among users of Yasmin and YAZ were filed with the FDA.

The reports include deaths related with cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, intracardiac thrombus, pulmonary embolism and stroke in women in their child bearing years.

The suit asks for more than $75,000 from each defendant - Bayer, Berlex Laboratories, and unidentified manufacturers and distributors - and compensation for past and future medical care, past and future pain and suffering, mental anguish and punitive damages.