Although all medical devices come with a risk, many women have similar complaints about the birth control Essure. These women allege that the company failed to warn them that what was promoted as a safe option was anything but when it came to the permanent sterilization device.

Plaintiff Cara H. has filed this latest Essure birth control lawsuit arguing that the manufacturers failed to provide a comprehensive overview of the risks and benefits of this permanent implant.

Essure was marketed as effective and relatively safe for women. But a growing number of lawsuits lodged against Bayer allege that many women have suffered from side effects and have had to have the device removed.

These lawsuits argue that the manufacturer knew or should have known about the side effects and should have made this information available to the medical community.

Cara alleges in this Essure lawsuit that she was implanted with the permanent birth control in July 2007, but she had to have it removed on April 16, 2018 after suffering serious complications.

Cara says she sustained permanent and serious injuries to her health, activity and strength, a severe shock to her nervous system, having to undergo hospital admissions, blood transfusions, and permanent damages to her body and health.

As of Dec. 31, 2018, Essure is no longer sold or distributed in the United States. This means that the device cannot be bought by any providers to implant in patients. Manufacturer Bayer argues that the decision to withdraw the device from the market was made for business reasons.

However, according to the Food and Drug Administration, healthcare providers are able to implant Essure for up to a year from the time that the device was purchased, which means that this device could still be on the market and recommended to patients by a physician.

Some of the most problematic side effects of Essure reportedly include abdominal, pelvic or back pain, unintended pregnancy, movement of the Essure device, headache, hair loss, perforation of the fallopian tubes or uterus, and weight changes. Some of these side effects are more severe.

The Essure device is placed into women who are seeking a permanent solution since the implantation of Essure cannot be reversed. The female sterilization procedure with Essure involved placing small fiber and metal coils into the fallopian tubes, which generate scar tissue that prevented any sperm from reaching the egg.

Although the Mayo Clinic reports that the Essure system had a very high success rate of preventing pregnancy, it was associated with many problematic side effects that led to lawsuits.

Anyone who recently had Essure implanted should do some at-home research on the side effects to be aware of following the procedure. Any changes in medical condition should be reported to the doctor who implanted the device.

The Essure Lawsuit is Case No. 34-2018-00246531, filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento.