Is Mirena Dangerous?

 Posted on March 19, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

The FDA-approved warning label for Mirena, an intrauterine system used by thousands across the country, lists critical side effects including perforation, embedment, expulsion, ovarian cysts and breast cancer. Additionally, women who become pregnant while using Mirena could miscarry. Mirena patients have reported a wide range of minor and major side effects, leading to defective medical device lawsuits.

A Detroit news station found that over 2 million women use the product, and the FDA has seen more than 70,000 complaints between 2008-2013. The reported issues have been on the record for years, with women suffering from regular pain, some requiring surgery, and others suffering from infertility as a result of their use. More minor complaints included back pain, headaches and acne, while others continued to suffer serious impacts after using Mirena. 4,775 women reported about device dislocation, where Mirena migrated outside of the uterus or became embedded in the uterus. Nearly 4,000 women noted issues with serious abdominal pain, and a further 1300 Mirena users experienced perforation of the uterus.

Mirena is promoted as an improvement over traditional birth control pills since patients do not have to remember to take medication each day, and it therefore reduces the chances of accidental pregnancy. However, the downside of this IUD is that patients may suffer painful symptoms without realizing that the device is no longer safe or is even serving its original purpose. Patients who are experiencing adverse side effects like those noted above need to seek medical and legal advice about their next steps.

FDA recommendations advise that patients who use Mirena should be seen by their medical provider at least once in the year following insertion, and also once each proceeding year. If you or someone you know has suffered serious side effects or has been injured as a result of Mirena, contact an Illinois defective medical device attorney today.