Posted in News on November 14, 2013

Millions of women use birth control in the U.S. Most women expect birth control pills, products and systems to be fairly safe, and to have undergone rigorous regulatory oversight. Thus, when lawsuits highlighting safety concerns happen, many may wonder if it could potentially happen to them.

According to reports, the maker of Mirena, an intrauterine birth control system that is implanted in a woman’s body, is being sued by a 29-year-old woman. Montana residents will find it interesting to learn that in her product liability lawsuit the woman alleges the she sustained injuries due to the implantation of the intrauterine system.

The lawsuit stems from injuries the 29-year-old suffered after the birth control system was implanted in her in 2010. Typically, once the contraceptive system is inserted into the body it is supposed to remain stationary. However, according to her complaint, that’s not what happened. Soon after having the system surgically inserted, the woman started going through numerous bouts of abdominal pain, severe mood swings, and also started getting recurring headaches, diarrhea spells, nausea and fevers.

However, the woman did not immediately attribute her symptoms to Mirena. She returned to have the contraceptive system removed after testing positive on a pregnancy test. The doctor could not locate the contraceptive device that was implanted. In 2011, an x-ray showed that the Mirena system had perforated the 29-year-old’s uterus, and moved to another part of her body. Removing it required a surgical procedure.

The woman’s lawsuit states that she followed all the instructions and used the product as directed by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, she indicates that she suffered serious and life threatening side effects and injuries. Furthermore, as a result of the surgical intervention she required hospitalization, treatment and requires medical monitoring. Since she suffered from permanent bodily impairment, she is seeking an unspecified amount for compensatory and punitive damages, costs and attorney’s fees. Anyone who believes he or she has been damaged by a faulty product should explore all legal options to obtain compensation.

Source: The Pennsylvania Record, “Pa. woman files Mirena products liability complaint against Bayer Healthcare,” Jon Campisi, November 5, 2013