How Mirena IUD Works

Mirena is an intrauterine device (IUD) manufactured by Bayer Pharmaceuticals and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000, as a long-acting, reversible birth control device. Made from a medical-grade, polyethylene plastic, Mirena IUD is a flexible, T-shaped device that is implanted in the uterus and slowly releases the progestin birth control hormone levonorgestrel directly into the uterus over time to prevent pregnancy. Because Mirena is designed to be 99% effective in protecting against pregnancy for up to five years, at which point it must be replaced, the intrauterine birth control device has grown in popularity, preferred by many women over birth control pills that must be taken daily to be effective. In 2009, the FDA expanded Mirena’s approval to treat heavy menstrual bleeding in women already using an IUD.

Possible Side Effects of Mirena IUD

Intrauterine devices like Mirena have become the most popular form of reversible birth control in the world, with an estimated 150 million women using IUDs for long-term pregnancy prevention. There is no doubt that Mirena IUD is highly effective in protecting against pregnancy for up to five years, but there have been a growing number of reports of women experiencing serious, potentially life-threatening side effects while using the birth control device, including:

• Perforation of the uterus
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Migration of the device to other parts of the body
• Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC)
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)
• Infection
• Device expulsion
• Embedment of the device in the abdomen or uterine wall
• The need for revision surgery

Link Between Mirena IUD and Serious Injuries

Mirena IUD is designed to remain in place for up to five years, at which point the implant can be removed or replaced with another intrauterine device if the woman wants continued protection against pregnancy. In some reported cases of Mirena side effects, however, the device has migrated from its normal position in the uterus, perforated the uterine wall and entered the pelvis, abdominal cavity, bladder or blood vessels. And while Bayer claims that Mirena IUD complications are rare, a study published by the Department of Radiology at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center indicated that migration of the birth control device is a “frequently encountered complication,” possibly causing severe pain, infections and injury to internal organs.

Another major complication that has been linked to hormonal birth control devices like Mirena IUD is pseudotumor cerebri (PTC), or “false brain tumor,” a condition characterized by an increase of pressure inside the skull that occurs for no apparent reason. In a 1995 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers identified 56 cases where pseudotumor cerebri side effects occurred in women using birth control pills or intrauterine birth control devices like Mirena IUD. More recently, at the 2015 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, research was presented indicating that Bayer’s Mirena IUD was “disproportionately more common among IIH patients than non-IIH patients.”

Pursuing Compensation for Mirena IUD Injuries

Product liability lawsuits brought against Mirena IUD maker Bayer Pharmaceuticals allege that the device manufacturing company failed to provide accurate warnings to consumers and the medical community about the potential for its birth control device to cause devastating side effects in users. Many women claim that Bayer knew about the alleged risk of Mirena IUD complications, yet intentionally withheld information about this risk from the public. If you believe you have been harmed by alleged side effects of Bayer’s Mirena IUD device, contact the Monroe Law Group today for expert legal assistance to explore your possible compensation options.

Alert: Due to statute of limitations, the time you have to pursue a Mirena IUD claim is limited. Call us right away at 866-308-1092, email us at intake@monroelawgroup.com, or complete the form on this page now.