What is Paragard?
Paragard T 380A is a hormone-free intrauterine device (IUD) made of flexible plastic wrapped in a thin layer of copper. The IUD is placed in a woman’s uterus by a healthcare provider during an office visit. The copper wire produces an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to sperm and eggs (ova), preventing pregnancy. Paragard is manufactured by CooperSurgical, Inc. (formerly Teva Pharmaceuticals), and was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1984.
What’s the Problem?
Since 2010, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has received more than 1,600 reports of the Paragard IUD breaking. In some cases, the birth control device failed before the end of its expected 10-year lifespan, with the IUD becoming embedded in uterine tissue, fractured, or broken into pieces upon removal. Many women have needed revision surgery and suffered adverse health complications as a result of these problems.
Paragard IUD Side Effects
Serious side effects of Paragard birth control may include:
- Paragard breaking upon removal
- Paragard expulsion or falling out of the uterus
- IUD migration to other parts of the body
- Ectopic pregnancy (fertilized egg growing outside a woman’s uterus)
- Paragard becoming embedded in the uterus
- Inflammation / allergic reactions
- Hysterectomy
- Perforation of the uterine wall / cervix
- Scarring / damage to other organs
- Revision surgery
- Death caused by any of the injuries above
- And more
Study Alleges Paragard May Break During Removal
In 2015, a study published in the Open Journal of Clinical & Medical Case Reports found that multiple cases of IUD breakage had been reported in women who had been implanted with Paragard birth control. The study’s authors concluded that “the possibility of its breakage should be recognized by clinicians.”
Are Lawsuits Being Filed?
Dozens of women have filed product liability lawsuits seeking compensation for injuries allegedly caused by the Paragard IUD. These complaints allege that the manufacturers failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential risks of serious side effects from Paragard. These cases have been filed in Florida, Pennsylvania, and other states.
One lawsuit filed in Florida state court was entered by a woman who claims that within 1 year after being implanted with Paragard, she began to experience severe complications, needed revision surgery to remove the device after it migrated out of her uterus, and subsequently became embedded in her colon.
Another lawsuit filed in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas alleges that a Louisiana woman’s reproductive organs were permanently damaged when a piece of the Paragard IUD broke off in her uterus after implantation. The suit further claims that Paragard breakage was a known risk, but no warnings were issued by the manufacturer to users, despite FDA reports and safety labeling revisions.
Do I Have a Paragard Class Action Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Paragard Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one was injured by Paragard IUD side effects, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.