After your last child, you knew your family was complete. The babies are wonderful, and you want to enjoy every moment with them. Not to mention that the pregnancy was terrible and you missed so much time at work. Sterilization was definitely the best answer for you and your family—you were so thankful that the doctor suggested the sterilization implant! A quick, easy, outpatient procedure with quick recovery time. What could be better? No time missed from work or with your baby. But now, you question that decision. The pain and bleeding have been terrible, and now you feel just like you did the last time you were pregnant, except on top of pregnancy discomfort your abdomen hurts terribly. Now the doctor says that you have an ectopic pregnancy —when you were supposed to be sterile! This seems like the worst decision of your life.
None of these symptoms make you unique. Like many other women who chose the use of Essure for their sterilization option, what is being experienced are some of the many side effects from the device. More than 10,000 women who were seeking the benefits of sterilization without surgery were hit with complications that they never expected. These complications range from the most common being pain, including abdominal pain, to heavy menstrual bleeding, to pregnancy, and migration of the Essure, along with difficulty in removal of the device.
Essure is marketed as a quick and easy outpatient sterilization option—no surgery required. The Essure device is a metal coil that is inserted into the fallopian tubes and causes scar tissue to grow and block the tubes, resulting in an inability to get pregnant. The marketing made for a great sell to busy women who didn’t want the additional elements required for a traditional surgical sterilization of having their “tubes tied.” For many, the quick and easy option has not been either quick or easy.
Recent complaints to the Food and Drug Administration and ongoing litigation has resulted in the product carrying a new “black box warning”—the strongest required by the FDA. The FDA has also opened a new safety study to determine whether there are any new risks or safety problems with the device. Lawsuits have also been filed by more than 100 women who assert that the manufacturer downplayed the risks of the device and violated approval requirements to get the device on the market.
If you chose the use of Essure for your sterilization option and have concerns about any health impacts, contact your doctor. Also consider contacting an attorney to discuss your options and understand your legal rights. Finding a lawyer to help you navigate the unknown complications you might be experiencing from your decision to use the Essure device can help ease the pain of dealing with unanticipated complications and side effects.
The attorneys at the Alexander Law Group, LLP believe in empowering Americans. That’s why we represent individuals who have been badly injured due to the fault of others. If you need legal help in California, contact the Essure attorneys at Alexander Law Group, LLP at 888.777.1776 for a free case consultation.
