Mirena Side Effects

The Mirena IUD has been linked to many severe side effects, including Pseudotumor Cerebri (PTC) and intracranial hypertension. These brain injuries can cause severe migraine headaches and blindness.

Mirena Overview

Mirena is a type of implantable contraceptive device (IUD) that is used by more than 2 million women in the United States, and more than 15 million women worldwide. It was approved by the U.S. Food and drug Administration (FDA) in 2000, and it is manufactured by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Mirena is a T-shaped piece of plastic that slowly releases levonorgestrel, a type of synthetic hormone found in many birth control pills. The hormone makes many changes to a woman’s uterus and cervix, which reduces the chances that sperm will enter the uterus and fertilize an egg. It is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy for five years.

Mirena and Intracranial Hypertension

Bayer is facing a hundreds of lawsuits from women who developed rare but serious brain injuries after using Mirena. These women cite decades of evidence linking levonorgestrel, the hormone in Mirena, with the following side effects:

• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
• Pseudotumor Cerebri
• Benign Intracranial Hypertension

These conditions elevate levels of cerebrospinal fluid, which puts pressure on the brain. The most common symptom is a headache that worsens. Over time, it can also damage the optic nerve and cause vision problems, double-vision, papilledema, and blindness.

Other Serious Mirena Side Effects

• Perforation of the uterus, intestines, or cervix
• Intestinal obstruction
• Infection
• Abscesses
• Migration into uterus (or outside uterus, if the uterus is perforated)
• Scarring, which could cause infertility
• Ectopic pregnancy, which may be life-threatening, cause miscarriage, or premature birth
• Infertility
• Embedment or erosion into the uterus
• Inflammation of the uterus, abdominal cavity
• Infection
• Emergency surgery to remove Mirena