Mirena IUD Lawsuit Filed over Ectopic Pregnancy

Mirena IUD Lawsuit Filed over Ectopic Pregnancy

By Courtney Coren

An Oklahoma woman has filed a Mirena lawsuit against Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals after she experienced ectopic pregnancy which required emergency surgery.

Destiny Asher had the Mirena IUD implanted in January 2012. After the procedure, her doctor verified through ultrasound that it had been inserted properly, as is common practice.

On June 3, 2013, Asher went to the emergency room because she was having vaginal bleeding and she was experiencing severe pain. The doctors ordered an ultrasound for Asher and, as a result, decided to perform surgery.

They found 200cc of blood in her pelvis and a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.  Asher’s Mirena IUD was removed after it perforated and migrated from her uterus. She also had to have her ovary removed, as well.

Asher alleges that the injuries she suffered were caused by the Mirena IUD.

The Mirena IUD is a form of contraception used to prevent pregnancy that is made of a flexible plastic that is placed in the woman’s uterus by her doctor. It releases a synthetic progestogen called levonorgestrel. The Mirena IUD is effective for five years and it is designed to remain in the uterus for that amount of time. It is often advertised to busy moms who don’t have the time to remember to take a traditional birth control pill.

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.

“Since its approval in 2000, the most serious adverse reactions reported in patients using Mirena for any indication include: ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in which the fertilized egg grows outside of the uterus); intrauterine pregnancy (a pregnancy with Mirena in place); group A streptococcal sepsis; an infection called pelvic inflammatory disease; embedment of the device in the uterine wall; and perforation of the uterine wall or cervix,” the FDA warning states.

Asher did not learn until recently that her injuries were allegedly caused by the Mirena IUD. She believes that Bayer misrepresented the safety of its product and “fraudulently concealed facts and information that could have led Plaintiff to an earlier discovery of potential causes.”

Asher’s charges against Bayer include defective manufacturing, design defect, negligence, failure to warn, and fraud.

She is asking Bayer to pay general damages, economic damages, loss of earnings, medical expenses, and for future medical treatment as well as anything else the court decides is appropriate.

There are more than 40 Mirena IUD lawsuits currently filed against Bayer, but that number is expected to grow as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has received more than 40,000 complaints of Mirena side effects.

The case is Destiny Asher vs. Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, Case No. 5:13-cv-01043-W, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. 

If you or someone you know has been injured by a Mirena IUD, legal options are available. Learn more and get a free legal consultation regarding a claim’s eligibility at the Mirena IUD Injury Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation. Experienced legal professionals have access to medical experts to assess whether or not a Mirena IUD may be playing a role in your current pain, discomfort or other serious side effects, so act now.