Women were told that Bayer’s Essure birth control was permanent and safe. However, many women have reported adverse side effects as a result of Essure, and even the Essure website itself now warns against complications including uterine and fallopian tube perforation. Other more minor side effects reported include chronic pain, weight gain, and swelling. The FDA have issued a black box warning for Essure, and clinical trials were not correctly reported.
As a major result of these side effects, many women have wanted a reversal of the Essure procedure but what is the Essure reversal success rate?
Success Rate
Certain specialty clinics have experienced anywhere from 29-35% successful reversals, which have resulted in natural pregnancies – although these results aren’t typical and require doctors who have successfully performed Essure reversals in the past. If a patient undergoes IVF, the rate can increase to 36.8%. However, if the Essure coils project into the uterine cavity, success rates have decreased and resulted in pregnancy complication. Few women have reported they were able to deliver their child vaginally – most have had to be delivered via c-section.
Other surgeons claim that Essure proximal coils are not technically reversible, so if you do want to reverse your procedure, you must see a surgeon who is willing to perform the surgery and has a success rate of doing so.
Even with Essure in place, the Essure effectiveness is 99.95% after 1 year, and 99.8% after 4 years, so, even with the implant in place, there’s a 0.2% chance of becoming pregnant (57 per 1,000). However, women who have become pregnant on Essure have experienced complications, including miscarriage, ectopic pregnancies, and high-risk to mother and baby.
Complications
After reversal, some patients experience up to 72 hours of abdominal pain. With some specialty surgeons, no women have reported ectopic pregnancies or uterine rupture, so it’s vital that if you plan to remove your Essure birth control with the aim of getting pregnant, you need to find the most highly qualified surgeon with a history of success.
Make sure that you get a specialty surgeon as many OBGYN doctors are not experienced at removing Essure, which has resulted in worse complications in some reported cases. If the first surgeon has positioned the coils correctly as per the manufacturer’s instruction, the coils should be able to be removed intact by turning the coils three to eight turns in the utero tubal junction. Correct insertion will allow for the coils to be removed without cutting, pulling, stretching, or breakage. Incorrect insertion may not leave your tubes intact, which will limit your chance of pregnancy (if that’s your aim). As the coils are intended to form scar tissue, other complications may arise as a result.
Does My Insurance Pay?
The Essure removal and reversal procedure can cost anywhere typically $7,000-7,500, and insurance does not cover it. However, you may be eligible to claim the cost of surgery in compensation if you have suffered serious side effects because of Essure, especially if you have had to have a hysterectomy due to the severity of the damage.
If you plan to claim compensation, you will often need your coils to be returned to you. You can send a written notification to the pathology department for your coils to be returned prior to surgery – from your doctor and from yourself (just to be certain). If your state hospital doesn’t allow specimens to be returned directly to you as a patient, then request that the pathology lab retain them indefinitely for litigation purposes; your attorney can send a letter requesting the coils. Any coil fragments left behind can result in further complication, so you want to make sure all parts of the coil have been removed the first time.
Protect Yourself
If you have experienced Essure complications, you may need to speak to your doctor about your concerns. If you have had any negative side effects as a result of your Essure birth control, you may need to consult an expert personal injury lawyer.
Do You Want to Find Out More About Essure?
Download our FREE Essure guide to learn more about the history of Essure, the journal research surrounding the birth control method, the current litigation, and more.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended as general information purposes only, and is not a substitute for legal advice. Anyone with a legal problem should consult a lawyer immediately.