An Arizona couple has filed a lawsuit against Bayer Corporation, claiming that the pharmaceutical company’s Essure birth control device wreaks havoc on women’s bodies.

This lawsuit is the latest in a long string of lawsuits regarding the Essure birth control device.

Plaintiffs and married couple Tanya and Glenn G. filed their Essure lawsuit against Bayer in late 2018, following Tanya’s alleged severe injuries related to the birth control device.

Tanya says she was implanted with her Essure birth control device on May 11, 2012. She claims that she chose Essure as her preferred method of birth control after reading a marketing brochure that promoted the birth control as safe, effective, and permanent.

However, Tanya claims that shortly after being implanted with Essure, she began to suffer from unusual and irregular periods, excessive bleeding, and abdominal pain, as well as frequent and severe migraines. Tanya claims that her symptoms increased and became so severe that she elected to undergo a total hysterectomy in October 2017.

According to Tanya’s husband and co-plaintiff, Glenn, Tanya’s demeanor noticeably changed after her implantation with the Essure birth control. Glenn claims that after implantation, Tanya was no longer energetic and happy, and was instead frequently in pain. He claims that their level of intimacy has significantly declined and that their marriage has suffered due to injuries caused by the Essure device.

How Does Essure Birth Control Work?

Essure is a permanent form of female birth control. The device is comprised of two metal coils made of nickel, steel, nitinol, and PET fibers that are inserted into the fallopian tubes. The coils are intended to anchor in the fallopian tubes and elicit tissue to grow around them, blocking off the tubes and effectively sterilizing the patient. Essure birth control is marketed as an easy and non-surgical form of permanent birth control.

Dangers of Essure Birth Control

According to Tanya and Glenn’s Essure lawsuit, the birth control device is prone to migrating from the fallopian tubes, breaking or corroding, and perforating organs. The lawsuit claims that the stainless steel used in the device may rust or degrade and that the nitinol may become toxic and provoke the body to attack it.

It also claims that degradation of the PET fibers and the nickel may incite chronic inflammation and lead to possible autoimmune issues.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health have previously cited Bayer for Essure-related reasons. The citations listed in the lawsuit include failure to report and/or active concealment of perforations by the device, failing to use sterile materials, manufacturing Essure at an unlicensed facility, failure to report patient complaints, and deliberate alteration of trial participant medical records to show more favorable results.

When confronted by the FDA with these citations, the Essure lawsuit alleges that Bayer’s response was that the device corrosion, fragmentation, and perforation reported by patients were merely trivial damage, and did not rise to the level of serious injury.

If you or a loved one has been implanted with the Essure birth control device and have suffered side effects including irregular or excessive bleeding as well as abdominal or pelvic pain, you may be eligible to join an Essure lawsuit investigation at no cost.

The Essure Lawsuit is Case 2:18-cv-05366-GAM, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.