An Arizona woman recently filed an Essure lawsuit, alleging that the birth control device is defective and dangerous, causing her severe personal injury.

Plaintiff Clarissa R. alleges in the Essure lawsuit that, after the permanent birth control device was implanted, she suffered from a number of serious Essure side effects.

The Essure lawsuit lists these complications: migraines, heavy bleeding, hives, and cysts, as well as severe abdominal, ovarian, and pelvic pain, among other injuries.

According to the Essure lawsuit, Clarissa was recommended and implanted with Essure by her physician in December 2011, considering it less dangerous than other permanent birth control options due to being a non-surgical procedure.

After the procedure, Clarissa began experiencing the aforementioned Essure side effects on a constant and daily basis. In order to control the heavy bleeding, Clarissa underwent a uterine ablation in September 2012.

While Clarissa was highly aware of her painful problems, she was not aware that Essure was the cause of these problems until learning in 2015 that there were other women undergoing similar Essure side effects with the device.

Clarissa filed her Essure birth control lawsuit on multiple counts, including manufacturing, design defect, negligence, failure to warn, and fraud by concealment.

Essure Birth Control Background

Essure, a type of permanent non-hormonal female sterilization, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002, and is currently distributed by Bayer Healthcare. The implantation procedure for Essure coils is non-surgical.

During this procedure, two flexible Essure coils, which are made of metal and polyester, are placed inside each fallopian tube through the vagina and uterus. After a few months, tissue naturally develops around these metal Essure coils and blocks conception.

In order to ensure that the procedure has worked properly, women who have been implanted with Essure birth control should be evaluated by their doctors.

Essure is the only available form of non-surgical permanent female sterilization, and has been called a safer alternative to tubal ligation.

However, since Essure’s 2002 approval by the FDA, over 4,500 separate adverse event reports have been filed to the agency over various Essure side effects.

Essure Birth Control Lawsuits

Many women who have used Essure for female sterilization have reported serious and severe Essure side effects from the birth control device. These complications include bloating, rashes, allergic reactions, excessive bleeding, organ perforation, pelvic pain, miscarriage, and ectopic pregnancy.

According to Essure birth control lawsuits, these women were not made adequately aware of the potential Essure side effects linked with the device. Essure side effects lawsuits allege that these devices and their risks were not thoroughly investigated, and were approved before their risks were discovered.

If you or someone you know has suffered after being implanted with Essure coils, you may be able to file an Essure birth control lawsuit.

The Essure Birth Control Lawsuit is Case No. 5:15-cv-04953-NC, in the U.S. District Court for the San Francisco Division of the Northern District of California.