Bayer Healthcare’s Essure birth control device has become a popular permanent birth control option for many, but a growing number of Essure users are suffering from serious complications. Many patients have filed lawsuits against the company over Essure birth control side effects, alleging that they were not adequately warned about the risks they faced from using the device.

Essure birth control side effects named in lawsuits include device failure, organ perforation, and ectopic pregnancy, among others. If you or someone you love has suffered from Essure birth control side effects, you may be able to pursue litigation.

Basics of Essure Birth Control

Bayer’s Essure birth control has become so popular that the device has been implanted in around 750,000 women so far, since its FDA approval in 2002. Essure was designed as an alternative form of birth control to offer those who want to prevent pregnancy long-term but who may not want to undergo surgical tubal ligation.

The Essure system is made up of two metal coils and a fabric lining, which are placed in the fallopian tubes. Implantation of the Essure device is designed to be done in a doctor’s office without invasive surgery. After this initial procedure, it takes two to three months for the Essure coils to expand in place, allowing the surrounding tissue to grow in around them. This is meant to completely block the fallopian tubes, preventing pregnancy.

According to advertising and marketing from Bayer, Essure is a safe and effective method of permanent birth control. Indeed, Bayer Healthcare has continuously marketed Essure as a safer, simpler, and more effective method of permanent birth control than other options currently available, lawsuits claim. However, more and more patients claim that they have suffered from significant Essure birth control side effects after implantation with the device.

Essure Birth Control Side Effects

Any medication or medical device will come with certain side effects, but patients implanted with Essure claim that they were not adequately warned about major Essure birth control side effects. So far, the FDA has received over 5,000 adverse event reports over major Essure birth control side effects.

Patients have reported suffering from Essure birth control side effects including the failure of the implant, device migration, organ perforation, device fracture, and ectopic pregnancy.

Some more major Essure birth control side effects may require device removal. Unfortunately, removal surgery can bring with it its own complications. Surgery is further complicated if a patient has suffered from Essure birth control side effects like device fracture or migration, which can make removal far more difficult, sometimes necessitating a complete hysterectomy.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Essure Birth Control Side Effects

Essure lawsuits allege that Bayer Healthcare failed to adequately warn patients and the medical community about major Essure birth control side effects and instead chose to actively withhold this valuable information, placing company profit over patient safety.

Plaintiffs allege that, had they been adequately informed of these major Essure birth control side effects, they would never have been implanted with an Essure birth control device and avoided these risks altogether.

If you or someone you love has suffered from any of these minor or major Essure birth control side effects, you may be able to file an Essure lawsuit against Bayer.