April 23, 2014, the medical journal, Contraception, published the findings of a study conducted by Professor Aileen Gariepy and her team at Yale School of medicine over the efficacy of Essure. According to Gariepy, "The study provides essential information for women and their doctors discussing permanent sterilization". Hysteroscopic sterilization such as Essure has become the most prevalent form of contraception for US women over the age of 35, with over 345,000 such procedures performed each year. However, findings indicate that it may not be effective at preventing unwanted pregnancy long-term.
The implantation of Essure coils is a mult-step procedure wherein coils are implanted in the Fallopian tubes, and another contraceptive is used for 90 days while tissue forms on the coils, thereby blocking them.
The Yale Medical School study on Essure coils and similar products used a computer model based on available data to compare the outcomes for women who have an Essure coil versus the also common procedure of laparoscopic sterilization. Their results indicated that on average, 57 of every 1,000 women became pregnant within one year of having Essure coils implanted, as opposed to 3 to 7 women following a laparoscopic procedure. Over a decade, the number jumped to nearly ten percent of all Essure patients experiencing unwanted pregnancy.
If you or a loved one have undergone the implantation of Essure coils and experienced injury or unwanted pregnancy, you may be eligible for compensation. Please fill out the contact form on this page, or call Arentz Law Group at 1-800-305-6000 for a free review of your claim.