The Paragard Intrauterine Device (IUD) is designed to be implanted into a woman’s uterus to prevent pregnancy. It is a long-term, but reversible, form of contraception.
The device is T-shaped and made of flexible plastic and wrapped in copper wire and must be inserted by a qualified medical professional. Marketing for the device says it is more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and can do so for up to 10 years.
Paragard was originally manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals before being acquired by The Cooper Companies for $1.1 billion in 2017.
The device was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1984 and marketed four years later. It has since been widely recommended for use. The device is currently the only copper IUD available in the U.S. and unlike other IUD’s such as Mirena, Paragard is hormone-free.
The device works by continually releasing small amounts of copper into the uterus. The copper is believed to help to prevent the sperm from reaching the egg, which prevents pregnancy. The Paragard IUD also causes changes in the lining of the uterus to help reduce the risk of implantation.
Dangers Associated With Paragard
The Paragard IUD has been linked to a variety of serious injuries and complications. Some of the most common side effects after insertion can include:
Heavier and longer menstrual periods
Bleeding or spotting between periods
Stomach pain, cramps or back pain
Severe menstrual pain
The device can also cause pelvic inflammatory disease, which is an infection of the uterus or other reproductive organs and is most likely to occur within the first 20 days of insertion. While antibiotics are usually prescribed for treatment, this type of infection can lead to other threatening conditions, such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain and even death.
Users of copper intrauterine devices like Paragard are more likely to experience expulsion of the device compared to other types of IUDs. A study found 10.2 percent of women using copper IUDs experienced expulsion or the device moving out of place or completely out of the body, while just 4.9 percent of Mirena users did.
Full or partial expulsion could require surgery to remove the entire device, rendering the birth control ineffective.
Other dangers associated with Paragard IUD removal include:
Device embedded in the uterus
Perforation of the uterine wall
Movement or migration of the device, leading to organ damage
Device breakage during surgery
Inflammation and injury from copper left in the body
Scarring inside the uterus
Possible hysterectomy or uterus removal
Since 2010, the FDA has received over 1,600 reports of device breakage. In some cases, the device failed well before the end of its expected lifespan, with the device becoming embedded in uterine tissue, fractured or broken into pieces upon removal and the copper wire completely missing. Many women have needed additional corrective surgery and suffered health complications as a result of these kinds of complications.
If you or a loved one experienced complications associated with the Paragard IUD reach out to the attorneys at Seven Summits Law for a free case evaluation.
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