A recent study presented at the annual 2015 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) states that Mirena birth control could cause women to develop pseudotumor cerebri. Also known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), this condition is infamously characterized by severe cranial pressure headaches and possible blindness

What is Pseudotumor Cerebri?

Pseudotumor cerebri is a medical condition that causes enormous amounts of cerebrospinal fluid to build up in the skull, creating severe pressure on the brain, resulting in similar symptoms as one would see in a brain tumor. This condition occurs when cerebrospinal fluid is not adequately reabsorbed back into the body, which is caused by the body’s inability to keep up with the protective cushion material’s production.

While it does not carry the same life-threatening risks as an actual brain tumor, patients suffering from pseudotumor cerebri can experience chronic migraines and blindness.

Symptoms of Pseudotumor Cerebri

This condition is categorized into three groups: acute, chronic, and idiopathic:

• Acute is when symptoms appear suddenly, often due to a head injury or stroke.
• Chronic means that the symptoms developed over time and may be linked to an underlying medical condition.
• Idiopathic is when the cause is unknown, but can vary in symptom severity and how long the symptoms last.

The symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri can include: vision loss, vomiting, and frequent headaches or migraines. Patients who may be suffering from this condition are encouraged to seek medical help immediately as this condition can lead to permanent blindness if not promptly diagnosed.

Pseudotumor Cerebri Causes

Currently, experts do not know the causes of pseudotumor cerebri, but certain contraceptives, antibiotics, and other drugs have been alleged to contribute. It is important to remember that any patient can develop pseudotumor cerebri regardless of age, sex, or body weight. However, this condition has been more commonly found in overweight or pregnant women, along with women who have a thyroid or kidney condition.

Overview of Birth Control PTC Study

Scientists analyzed data from insurance claims filed by thousands of patients who either used intrauterine devices (IUDs), like Mirena birth control, or other forms of birth control like oral contraceptives. After conducting numerous phone interviews that had asked questions regarding history of birth control use, the study concluded that IUD users had a significantly higher risk of suffering pseudotumor cerebri.

The study found that .18% of all IUD patients in the study had suffered pseudotumor cerebri, compared to the .02% reportedly found in non-IUD users. The scientists estimated that Mirena was the most likely to cause this birth control side effect, with patients estimated to be nine times more likely to develop pseudotumor cerebri, compared to all non-Mirena patients.

Experts concluded that users of the Mirena birth control commonly experienced symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri, and that patients should consider different long-term birth control options.

While other forms of birth control have been linked to pseudotumor cerebri, intrauterine devices like the Mirena IUD and Skyla have become more associated with the condition.

Both of these devices are long-term birth control devices that are manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and are the only two devices that use a synthetic progestin called levonorgestrel. This hormone is directly released into the uterus to prevent ovulation and sperm-to-egg conception, but has been at the center of controversy for years in the medical community.

Due to the unknown risks associated with this hormone, doctors are recommended to not prescribe Mirena birth control to women who have not yet had children. Interestingly enough, Skyla is often prescribed to this patient population because it uses a miniscule amount of levonorgestrel; this is one of Bayer’s most recent releases as it only gained FDA approval in 2013, while Mirena has been around since 2000.

Unfortunately, both of these birth control products lack a warning against pseudotumor cerebri, leading to many complaints and to a possible litigation movement.