Study: Intrauterine Devices Last Longer Than Five Years

Intrauterine devices like the Mirena IUD are showing the ability to last even longer than the established five years, according to a recent study.

The IUD study was conducted by Dr. Justine P. Wu at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and published in the health journal Contraception on March 4.

Wu has admitted that she and the other researchers have had this information on their hands for years, and will hope that a review of this study will raise physician and patient confidence in IUDs in the United States and other countries.

According to Wu’s study, copper IUDs appear to be effective for at least nine years, with the ParaGard IUD lasting up to twelve years.  The study reported that for women who had the IUD implanted in them at the age of 35 and over, the ParaGard IUD could possibly last up until menopause.

The most widely used IUD in the United States, the Mirena IUD, is advertised to last up to five years, when Wu’s study has indicated seven.

There were not enough participants under the age of 25 to determine how long the Mirena and ParaGard IUDs would remain effective after the products’ labels’ deadlines.  According to the study, women who used an IUD over the age of twenty five and have had one child faced reduced birth control costs, higher convenience, and extended contraceptive benefits.

Intrauterine devices are amongst the most popular methods of contraception, and while longer-lasting periods sound like good news to patients, medical experts advise caution regarding the side effects the devices could cause. The Mirena IUD is currently facing hundreds of personal injury lawsuits filed by women who were allegedly severely injured after the IUD migrated outside the uterus and punctured nearby organs.

Intrauterine devices are small plastic or metal devices which are inserted directly into the uterus. The endpoints on the devices contain hormones that prevent sperm-to-egg fertilization. IUDs are designed to last up to five years, and are often advertised to be more effective than birth control pills or condoms.

Although doctors do highly recommend IUDs as a low-commitment birth control option, they typically only recommend them to women who have already have had one child.

Overview of IUD Complications

In the United States, the Mirena IUD cost $850 and the ParaGard costs $598 — both are highly sought after and expensive birth control methods. However, these products have been known cause severe cramping and internal injuries, if the device perforates the uterus.

Despite their popularity, many patients and doctors have misconceptions regarding how to use the product safely, as well as the potential health consequences that could follow.

The endpoints of the IUD contain a hormone called, levongestrel, which is released directly into the uterus to prevent pregnancy.

Unfortunately, these birth control devices have been known to perforate and migrate from the uterus and into the patient’s lower abdomen.  The side effects that have been reported from this event include cramping, bleeding, organ embedment, and ectopic pregnancies. These injuries have led to a Mirena class action lawsuit investigation and hundreds of individual Mirena IUD lawsuits.

Doctors advise women to talk to their doctor about the safety of IUDs as well as when the appropriate time would be to replace them.

Mirena IUD Litigation

The Mirena packaging does warn that the device may migrate outside of the uterus if the uterus is perforated during insertion, which is why doctors typically check via ultrasound after the device is inserted to be sure that perforation has not occurred. However, Bayer does not warn that the IUD may migrate spontaneously — that is, even if perforation doesn’t occur during the insertion process.

Bayer was cited in 2009 by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for misleading customers in their promotions of the Mirena IUD by downplaying the risks associated with the device.

Between November 1997 and June 2012, almost 46,000 reports of adverse events were filed with the FDA, most of them citing uterine migration and perforation by the IUD.

Due to complications and injuries, hundreds of Mirena IUD lawsuits were filed against Bayer.

Several of them have been compiled in to multi-district litigation (MDL) in a New York federal court.

A MDL is similar to a Mirena class action lawsuit except for in an MDL all the lawsuits remain separate but are able to benefit from the same resources and discovery process. It is also much more manageable for both the court and defendant when there are several lawsuits all about the same general thing.

Get a Free Mirena IUD Lawsuit Evaluation

If you believe that you or a loved one have been the victim of a Mirena IUD injury, you have legal options.  Please visit the Mirena IUD Injury Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned Mirena IUD lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation.  You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The IUD injury attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.