According to data published by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005, several women died and dozens more survived strokes that resulted from using the Ortho Evra birth control patch. Perhaps even more serious was evidence that the Ortho Evra patch created a much greater risk of stroke than is found among users of birth control pills. Reports estimate that the number of strokes resulting from use of the Ortho Evra birth control patch is four times that resulting from use of birth control pills.

Strokes occur when there is an interruption of the flow of blood to part of the brain. Between 85% and 90% of strokes are ischemic strokes, which occur when blood vessels become blocked and blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted. Ischemic strokes can occur when a clot forms in the blood vessels of the brain or when a clot from elsewhere in the body becomes loose and lodges in a cerebral blood vessel. Strokes can also be caused when blood flow to the entire body is disrupted—such as by heart attack or bleeding—or by a hemorrhage, bleeding directly into the brain tissue.

Many of the strokes that occur because of Ortho Evra side effects are caused by deep vein thrombosis, which produces blood clots in the vein deep inside the leg. When these clots become loose, they can travel to the brain, interrupting blood flow and leading to a stroke. However, one of the other serious birth control patch side effects is strokes that occur when blood clots form directly in the brain.

The Ortho Evra birth control patch should not be used by women who have a history of stroke or risk factors for a stroke, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. Women using the Ortho Evra birth control patch should consult a doctor immediately if they experience numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs, especially on one side of the body; confusion or difficulty with talking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; and difficulty with walking, dizziness or loss of balance and coordination. These symptoms can be a sign of an ischemic transient attack (ITA), or a mini-stroke. ITAs, brief interruptions of blood flow to part of the brain, can be a warning sign of a future stroke.

If you feel you have suffered a stroke or another serious birth control patch side effect after using the Ortho Evra patch, contact a birth control patch attorney to learn more about filing an Ortho Evra lawsuit.