A recently filed lawsuit brought collectively by 23 women across the United States alleges that Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals (Bayer) fraudulently misrepresented the Mirena IUD birth control and failed to notify women that using Mirena put them at greater risk of uterine complications, including perforation of the uterine lining and device migration.

Plaintiff Danielle T., a Minnesota resident, blames Bayer’s allegedly defective design of the Mirena IUD for her constant pain as a result of the IUD migrating to her abdominal cavity. Danielle and 22 other named plaintiffs claim that Bayer knew about the dangerous side effects of Mirena but engaged in deceptive marketing, disregarding public safety.

They also accuse Bayer of negligence in producing and knowingly selling and distributing a defective product, alleging that the drug manufacturer failed to conduct adequate testing and concealed the harmful side effects of Mirena.

What is Mirena?

Today more than 2 million women in the United States use Mirena, a small T-shaped device that is implanted in the uterus by a healthcare provider to prevent pregnancy. Made of flexible plastic, it releases continuous doses of a hormone, levonorgesterel, commonly found in oral contraceptives.

The hormone thickens the wall of mucous lining the uterus and decreases the motility and survival rates of sperm entering the uterus, thus reducing the chances of pregnancy. By gradually releasing hormones, the device is supposed to prevent pregnancy for up to five years.

In some women, Mirena can cause serious complications, including life-threatening ectopic pregnancy and a serious condition known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

Perhaps the most disturbing of the complications that may result from use of Mirena involves its potential to cause uterine perforations. Perforation of the IUD may cause patients to experience bloating, vomiting, lower abdominal pain, heavy vaginal bleeding and other symptoms, including diminished fertility or the inability to conceive a child.

Bayer’s Marketing Tactics

Among the accusations against Mirena’s manufacturer, Bayer, is that deceptive marketing tactics were used to promote the product to women. Bayer marketed Mirena as a way to “look and feel great.”

This marketing campaign was brought to light in 2009 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned Bayer against using such unsubstantiated claims its marketing. The FDA’s response to the program was that there was no evidence that substantiated these claims, and that the program clearly overstated the efficacy of Mirena, while downplaying the potentially severe Mirena IUD side effects.

Mirena Lawsuits

This Mirena lawsuit is one of thousands now filed in the United States on behalf of women who allegedly experienced Mirena IUD complications and other side effects of the birth control device. The Mirena IUD lawsuit is seeking compensatory and punitive damages together with interest and attorneys’ fees for Bayer’s alleged deceptive and reckless practices in misrepresenting and omitting numerous facts about the dangers of the Mirena IUD.

The Mirena IUD Lawsuit is Case No. 7:14-cv-03509-CS, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.