Problems with Paragard IUD Lead to Product Liability Lawsuit
The makers of Paragard IUD are facing a new product liability lawsuit filed by an Illinois woman who says that the widely used birth control device is defective and prone to breakage during the removal process, putting women at an unreasonable risk for serious injuries. If you or someone you know has suffered injuries because of an allegedly defective Paragard intrauterine device, your first course of action should be to contact an experienced product liability lawyer who specializes in Paragard injury claims. A knowledgeable Paragard attorney can evaluate your claim and determine whether you are eligible to pursue compensation through a Paragard injury lawsuit.
What is the Paragard IUD?
Paragard is a flexible, T-shaped intrauterine device (IUD) designed to be implanted in the uterus for long-term pregnancy prevention, lasting up to 10 years. Paragard is unique in that it uses copper to produce an inflammatory reaction in the uterus that interferes with sperm motility, implantation and fertilization of eggs, which makes it a popular alternative to birth control methods that use artificial hormones. Paragard IUD has been on the market in the United States for more than 30 years and, while the birth control device was originally manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals, The Cooper Companies Inc. acquired the rights to Paragard in 2017.
Reported Paragard IUD Side Effects
Paragard implantation is meant to be a quick and easy procedure performed by a healthcare provider during a routine office visit and the device is designed be removed at any time, which makes it a reversible form of birth control. However, what many women are finding is that the IUD may be prone to complications that could expose users to serious injuries, possibly resulting in the need for invasive surgery or a full hysterectomy. Among the potential complications that could result from Paragard IUD use are:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Migration of the device to other parts of the body
- The device fracturing during removal
- Copper wire being left behind in the body, possibly causing inflammation and injury
- The IUD becoming embedded in the uterus
- Infection
- Organ damage
- Scarring
- Ectopic pregnancy
Several women have begun filing lawsuits against the current and former manufacturers of Paragard, accusing the companies of, among other things, designing a defective and dangerous birth control device, misrepresenting the IUD as safe and effective, and failing to warn users and healthcare providers about the health risks associated with the device. The women involved in the growing Paragard litigation raise similar claims that, had the manufacturers properly warned about the potential for Paragard to migrate out of position after implantation and become embedded in other organs or break apart during the removal process and leave users vulnerable to serious injuries, they would never have chosen to use the birth control device in the first place.
Paragard Makers Accused of Failure to Warn
This latest Paragard lawsuit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois by plaintiff Beth Parker, and names as defendants Teva Pharmaceuticals, Teva Women’s Health, Duramed Pharmaceuticals, The Cooper Companies and CooperSurgical. According to the lawsuit, Parker was implanted with a Paragard IUD and when she went to have the device removed about ten years later, in May 2018, the IUD broke apart and one of the arms was left behind in her body. Parker states that neither she nor her healthcare provider were warned about the potential for the Paragard IUD to fracture during removal and put her at risk for serious complications and painful, potentially permanent injuries.
“Prior to Plaintiff being implanted with the ParaGard IUD, Defendants knew and should have known that [Paragard] was defective and unreasonably dangerous,” the lawsuit states. “Teva and Cooper Defendants knew or should have known that ParaGard can and does cause serious harm to individuals who use it, due to the risk of the ParaGard’s arm breaking upon removal.” Unfortunately, because there were never any proper warnings about the potential for the Paragard IUD to migrate out of position or break apart during removal and leave pieces embedded in the uterus, thousands of women have used the birth control device, unaware that they could suffer serious, potentially long-lasting injuries as a result.
How to Get Help for Alleged Paragard IUD Injuries
Intrauterine devices are becoming more and more popular as an alternative form of birth control that doesn’t require taking a daily pill. In a 2018 study published in the journal Contraception, researchers reported that a record 4.4 million, or 7.8% of all U.S. women, now use IUDs, compared to only 1.5% of women in 2002. If you or a loved one was implanted with the Paragard intrauterine birth control device and subsequently experienced side effects like device migration, perforation of the uterus, device fracture or the need for a hysterectomy, you may have grounds to file a Paragard IUD lawsuit against Teva Pharmaceuticals and The Cooper Companies to recover damages. Contact an experienced Paragard injury attorney as soon as possible to explore your possible compensation options.
