How Mirena IUD Works
If you, or a loved one, have suffered uterine perforation, expulsion of Mirena, or serious illness from the use of a Mirena Intrauterine Device (IUD), you may be entitled to compensation. The defective products lawyers at Arentz Law are ready to do a free initial consultation to determine your case. You can fill out the contact form at right, or call 1-800-305-6000.
Mirena IUD was initially approved by the FDA in the year 2000. Since that time millions of women have relied on it to provide protection against unwanted pregnancy. In 2011, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated that the insertion and use of Mirena IUD was safe for all women. While many women do not have a problem with the device, there are quite a few that have experienced some serious side effects with the procedure. Here is how the device actually works.
How Mirena IUD Works
When the patient wants to have a birth control, but does not want to go through the process of taking pills daily, she has some options. One of those options is using an intrauterine device. Her healthcare professional must implant the device inside the uterus. Here it should sit for up to 5 years.
While in position in the uterus, Mirena acts like many other birth control drugs. The device will slowly release the chemical hormone levonorgestrel into the blood stream. This hormone results in several outcomes. The hormone will often stop the ovary from even producing an egg. Without an egg in the uterus, the patient cannot become pregnant. Should an egg be produced, the patient’s uterine walls will have thinned. Therefore the likelihood of egg attachment is minimal. Finally, if an egg is produced and does attach to the uterine wall, the hormone causes the mucus to thicken. If any sperm are trying to make their way to the egg, they cannot move rapidly enough through the thickened mucus.
While the most important function of Mirena is to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, there are other benefits. The device will often help to regulate the patient’s bleeding, reducing heavy flows after a few months of use. In fact, it can even cause the woman to stop menstruating completely (which is not harmful).
The effectiveness of using an IUD such as Mirena is high. In fact, only 2 out of 1,000 women become pregnant during their first year of using the contraceptive. The most common cause of becoming pregnant while using Mirena is because the device is expelled from the uterus (often due to being inserted just after childbirth, or into women who have never had a baby). But that leads to the question of whether or not the side effects are worth not worrying about your birth control for up to 5 years at a time.
The most serious side effect from Mirena is uterine perforation. This most commonly happens upon insertion. The misplaced IUD causes painful tears in the uterine wall. However, perforation is not the only worry. Mirena can be expelled from the uterus, negating its effectiveness. It can also cause discomfort, such as weigh gain, breast tenderness, and acne. In some cases, the device is hard to remove and requires surgery to extract.
Contact Arentz Law
If you have used the Mirena IUD, and you have experienced uterine perforation, Mirena expulsion, or difficulty in extraction, contact Arentz Law Group P.C. immediately by filling out the contact form on this page, or by calling 1-800-305-6000. The defective product lawyers are ready to do a free initial consultation to review your claim. Regardless of which state you reside in, Arentz Law has the ability to handle your case.