An actress who is currently an understudy in the Broadway show "Wicked" is suing Bayer, claiming its birth control pill Yasmin caused her to have a stroke when she was 27 years old, the New York Post reports.

Brenda Hamilton, a former Bronx resident who now lives in West New York, N.J., filed a civil suit in the Bronx claiming that Bayer knew the birth-control pill Yasmin posed a greater risk of stroke and blood clots than other birth control pills, but didn't warn consumers.

Hamilton says she was otherwise healthy and had been taking Yasmin for a little more than two years when she suffered a stroke in May 2007.

"I'm pretty angry that this happened to me. I was 27 at the time. I don't think this should be happening to young women. It shouldn't happen to any woman just because they take birth-control pills," she told the Post.

All birth control pills pose some increased risk of stroke and blood clots -- smoking increases the risk of both, according to literature that is included with birth control prescriptions. The estrogen in birth control pills is believed to be behind the increased risk. Yasmin bills itself as a low-estrogen pill that reduces the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including bloating, cramping and mood swings.

In 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited Bayer for overstating the safety of the product in its advertising, according to the Post.

Hamilton's lawsuit is one of about 1,100 filed in the U.S. claiming the pills caused serious or life-threatening health problems. Two class-action suits have been filed in Canada.

A spokeswoman for Bayer told the Post the company would not comment on pending litigation.

More on Birth Control:

Which Birth Control Pill Should I Use?
Personal Stories About Choosing Birth Control Methods