Written by Angelique Pienaar
Our firm is currently investigating a potential class action involving Yaz Plus, with respect to certain defective blister packs containing the incorrect sequence of pills due to a packaging error – significantly reducing contraceptive protection. If you experienced an unintended pregnancy between 9 November 2023 and 31 January 2025, while using Yaz Plus oral contraceptives and believe this may have been as a result of a defective blister pack, you are welcome to contact our team for a confidential discussion.
Yaz Plus is a combined oral contraceptive pill designed to prevent pregnancy when taken correctly and consistently. It follows a 28-day “24 + 4” regimen: 24 pink active tablets (containing contraceptive hormones) followed by 4 light-orange placebo tablets (hormone-free). The sequence of the pills is not merely a formality, but is central to how the regimen is intended to work.
Below, we explain what the active and placebo tablets do, why the sequence matters, and what can happen when pills are missed.
The basics: What’s in the pack?
A standard Yaz Plus pack contains:
- 24 pink active tablets: These contain the hormones ethinylestradiol and drospirenone, plus a supplemental form of folic acid, levomefolate calcium.
- 4 light-orange placebo tablets: These are hormone-free, and contain the supplemental folic acid, levomefolate calcium, only.
In practical terms, the active tablets deliver the hormones that are responsible for contraception. The placebo tablets help maintain a routine of taking one pill daily, while providing a short hormone-free interval.
How the active pills help prevent pregnancy
Combined oral contraceptives work by creating a hormonal environment that reduces the chance of pregnancy in several ways. In broad terms, the hormone-containing tablets are intended to:
- Suppress ovulation (so the ovary does not release an egg);
- Thicken cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to travel; and
- Change the lining of the uterus, making it less receptive.
Consistency is key: the intended protection depends on maintaining hormone levels through the active-pill days, and keeping the hormone-free interval short and controlled.
What placebo pills do (and don’t do)
The placebo tablets are hormone-free. They are not “backup contraception.” Their role is mainly to keep the daily habit of pill-taking while allowing for a withdrawal bleed (often beginning a couple of days into the placebo phase).
This is why it’s important not to treat placebo pills as interchangeable with active pills. They do not provide the same contraceptive function.
Why taking Yaz Plus in the correct order matters
Because Yaz Plus relies on 24 consecutive days of active hormonal dosing, the order matters for two reasons:
- The active phase must be consistent and uninterrupted enough to reliably suppress ovulation; and
- The hormone-free interval must not be unintentionally extended, because a longer break can increase the risk of ovulation and reduce contraceptive effectiveness.
That’s why the regimen requires taking one pill every day, in the sequence indicated on the pack, and moving directly from the end of one pack to the start of the next without a break.
Even if you are still menstruating when the next pack is due, the next pack is started immediately to avoid extending the hormone-free period.
The consequence of a missed pill
A missed placebo pill generally does not reduce contraceptive protection because placebo tablets are hormone-free. However, missed placebo pills should be discarded so that you do not accidentally extend the hormone-free phase or disrupt the intended schedule.
Missing an active pill is more serious. The risk of unintended pregnancy can increase progressively with each missed active tablet, and timing matters.
A helpful general rule is the 12-hour window: If less than 12 hours have passed since you should have taken an active pill, contraceptive reliability is generally maintained: take the missed pill immediately and continue your pack as usual. If more than 12 hours have passed, contraceptive effectiveness may be reduced and alternative contraceptive measures should be taken. The risk tends to increase the more active pills are missed, and where missed pills occur close to (or effectively extend) the hormone-free interval.
In general, where active pills are missed beyond the 12-hour window, the recommended response commonly includes using barrier contraception for at least 7 days thereafter, particularly if the missed active pills occurred early in the pack or if there were already missed pills in the preceding days.
If more than one active pill is missed in a pack, individual guidance from a healthcare provider is strongly recommended, because the correct response can depend on timing, sexual activity, and where you are in the pack.
What happened: the defective packs
The pill sequence in the defective blister packs was reversed, containing 24 placebo tablets, followed by only 4 active hormone tablets. Users thus unknowingly took placebo tablets on days where they were meant to be taking active tablets, and did not receive the hormonal dosing needed to suppress ovulation – resulting in significantly reduced or no contraceptive protection.
Our investigation and how we can help
As noted above, we are investigating a potential class action involving Yaz Plus, where some users may have been exposed to reduced contraceptive protection where the intended active/placebo sequencing was disrupted due to a packaging error in defective blister packs.
If you:
- used Yaz Plus between 09 November 2023 and 31 January 2025; and
- believe you may have experienced an unintended pregnancy while using a defective pack during that period, regardless of whether you carried the pregnancy to full-term, experienced a pregnancy loss, or terminated the pregnancy;
You are welcome to contact our team for a confidential discussion about your experience and whether you may have a claim in respect of medical expenses, loss of earnings, long-term maintenance costs of raising a child, and/or compensation for emotional and psychological suffering associated with the termination or loss of a pregnancy. Alternatively, you may click here to complete your details, and a member of our team will contact you.”
*Disclaimer: this article is for general information only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. For advice about missed pills, pregnancy risk, or contraception, please consult a healthcare professional.
