Paragard Litigation

Protecting your health.

About Paragard.

Common Injuries Associated with Paragard

Some of the common injuries associated with the Paragard IUD have been:

Tearing of the uterus – Tearing of the uterus, also known as uterine rupture, can be extremely dangerous. Rare and usually due to pregnancy complications, it has affected less than 1 percent of women around the world. Some of the symptoms of uterine rupture might be excessive bleeding, abnormal pain in the abdomen, and loss of uterine muscle tone.

Embedment in the uterus – The reason IUD’s are not able to be placed inside the body by an average individual is due to the fact that the IUD needs to be placed in a specific part of the uterus. While doctors should have experience at this, there have been some cases of the IUD not being properly placed inside the body, or the IUD moving after placement inside the body. If the IUD is displaced, this can cause the body to reject the IUD or for the IUD to become embedded in the uterine wall. If the IUD is embedded, it will need to be surgically removed in order to get it out of the body.

Breaking – One of the most common complaints about the Paragard IUD is the strings breaking or the entire device itself breaking. If the Paragard breaks inside the uterus, it makes removal extremely difficult. This can also affect the effectiveness of protecting against pregnancy. If the Paragard breaks inside the uterus, the only route for removal is typically surgery.

Infection – Cervical infection has been another common cause of concern linked to the Paragard IUD. Infection can be caused by improper placement, or the IUD moving inside the uterus. Some symptoms of cervical infection might be abdominal pain, discharge, painful urination, fever, or painful intercourse. It is important to contact your doctor right away if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

Reproductive health complications – The loss of reproductive health is the most severe complication linked to Paragard. If a woman suffers the loss of reproductive health, she may never be able to get pregnant or face major pregnancy complications.

Pelvic Inflammatory disease – Paragard, as well as other IUDs, have been associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic Inflammatory disease affects the uterus and other organs close to the uterus. Although treatable with a course of antibiotics, pelvic inflammatory disease can cause infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and in rare cases, death.

Expulsion – In some cases, the uterus can reject the Paragard IUD, causing it to be expelled from the body. Although not common in women who have been pregnant before, this can be cause for concern if a woman cannot feel if the IUD has been expelled. This can result in an unwanted pregnancy.

It is important to know the risks associated with the Paragard IUD and to contact a lawyer if you have experienced any health-related conflicts due to Paragard. You may be entitled to financial compensation.

Alternatives to the Paragard IUD.

There are many forms of birth control on the market. Every woman needs to find a birth control that fits her lifestyle, as well as comfort.

Here are a few hormone-free alternatives to the Paragard IUD:

Condoms – Although not 100% affective, condoms are a safe form of birth control when used correctly. They are hormone-free and help to protect against infection.

Birth control sponge – The birth control sponge can be found at most drugstores or at your local clinic. The birth control sponge is a piece of foam that gets inserted into the vagina before intercourse. The sponge blocks the cervix and continually releases spermicide to protect against unwanted pregnancy. It is important to remember to insert the sponge before intercourse and to always remove the sponge directly after intercourse. The sponge can be inserted up to 24 hours before intercourse.

Cervical cap – Similar to the birth control sponge, the cervical cap is inserted into the vagina before intercourse. The cervical cap is dome-shaped and made of silicone. It is designed to block sperm from reaching the cervix. It is important to remember to leave the cap inside the body for at least 6 hours after intercourse, but not for more than 48 hours. The most effective cervical cap usually contains spermicide.

Diaphragm – The diaphragm is one of the oldest forms of contraception used for women. Similar to the cervical cap, the diaphragm is also a silicone-based cup that is designed to cover the cervix. It is also best used with a spermicide gel. Adding a spermicide gel to the diaphragm increased the birth control’s effectiveness. Simply apply the gel and insert inside the vagina before intercourse. The diaphragm will keep in place until removed. It should be kept in place for at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Spermicide – Some women have opted to use spermicide gel alone as a form of non-hormonal birth control. It can be used without a prescription and is inserted inside the body before intercourse. It should be noted that the effectiveness of spermicide alone is not as effective. Spermicide should typically be used with another barrier method such as the cervical cap or diaphragm. It is important to read the directions for use; some spermicides require waiting ten minutes before engaging in intercourse, along with having effectiveness for up to an hour after use.

Natural family planning – Natural family planning, such as monitoring of fertility or the rhythm method are the choice of birth control of some women. This is usually done through an app that tracks the fertility status of the woman. It is important to note that this method is not 100% effective and can result in pregnancy. It is usually always best to use some sort of barrier method to protect against pregnancy, as well as condoms to protect against STDs.

Differences between hormonal IUDs and non-hormonal IUDs

The Paragard IUD is not the only IUD on the market. There are many other IUDs in direct competition with the Paragard. One common IUD is called “Mirena”.

Mirena’s insertion method is similar to that of Paragard, the only difference being that Mirena contains hormones. Some of the side effects of hormonal birth control might be extensive compared to that of non-hormonal birth control which is why many women choose to opt for Paragard, regardless of the dangerous side effects.

While the Paragard’s copper makeup is used to protect against unwanted pregnancy, Mirena releases a hormone into the body that is absorbed into the bloodstream and helps to protect against pregnancy.

While both methods are known to have effects on the body, studies have shown Mirena’s effects to be less damaging than that of Pargard. Some of the side effects of Mirena include acne, weight gain, nausea, abdominal pain, and monthly spotting.

When choosing the right IUD for you, it is important to not only consider hormonal versus non-hormonal but the potential effects the IUD can have on the body. The life-threatening effects of Paragard are not worth the risk. If you have experienced any health-related issues to the body while using the Paragard IUD, it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Here are some important steps to identify before contacting your Paragard attorney:

Medical records – You must obtain your medical records from your doctor documenting your IUD insertion and the complications associated with your Paragard IUD because of that insertion.

Identify your IUD – It is important that your IUD model is identified because many of the Paragard-related lawsuits are focused on the Copper T 380A model of the IUD.

Identify your injury – Your injury must be properly documented by your doctor on all medical forms to ensure that it was directly related to the Paragard IUD.