NuvaRing and Deep Vein Thrombosis

NuvaRing birth control has been linked to a significant increased risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Unfortunately, many women have filed lawsuits because they were unaware that NuvaRing is associated with higher risks, but is equally effective as many other contraceptives. The manufacturer of NuvaRing, Merck & Co., is already facing litigation involving more than 1,000 lawsuits in state and federal court.

NuvaRing and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

NuvaRing, a popular contraceptive device, has been linked to an increased risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). The problem with NuvaRing is that it contains a hormone called etonogestrel. Etonogestrel is a “third-generation” synthetic version of progestin, which is a female reproductive hormone. All progestins are associated with slightly increased risks of DVT, but some progestins have higher risks than others. Some studies have found that the risks associated with etonogestrel are at least twice as high as older, “second-generation” progestins like levonorgestrel.

Studies of NuvaRing Risks and Side Effects

Several studies have linked NuvaRing to higher risks of blood clots than other contraceptive devices. According to this study, published in May 2012 in the British Medical Journal:

“The vaginal ring confers at least a sixfold increased risk of venous thrombosis … a risk which is about twice the risk among women using second-generation pills with levonorgestrel.”

The results of this study were based on data from 1.6 million women from Denmark between 2001 and 2010. Other studies, including one published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 2012, have associated NuvaRing with a 2.5-fold increased risk of stroke due to blood clots.

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a life-threatening disorder that occurs when blood clots develop in veins located deep inside the body, usually in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvic region. Deep-vein blood clots are far more serious than surface-level blood clots like varicose veins — they can grow to enormous size, cause severe venous damage, and impact circulation. DVT blood clots can also break loose, travel in the bloodstream, and get trapped in blood vessels in major internal organs.

One of the most serious complications of DVT is a pulmonary embolism (PE), in which a blood clot becomes trapped in the lungs. This complication can cause severe lung damage, organ damage, and even death.

Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) include:

• Pain or tenderness in the legs
• Swelling
• Warmth
• Redness in the legs
• Unexplained shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Light-headedness
• Dizziness
• Rapid pulse, changes in heart rhythm
• Coughing up blood
• Sense of anxiety or nervousness

NuvaRing Side Effects

The manufacturer of NuvaRing, Merck & Co., is facing more than 1,000 NuvaRing lawsuits from women who were seriously injured by blood clots and other side effects, including DVT. The first trials in the litigation are scheduled to begin in July 2013.

If you were injured by NuvaRing, you may still have time to file a lawsuit and seek damages for any of the following injuries:

• Heart attack
• Blood clots
• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
• Pulmonary embolisms
• Venous thrombosis
• Stroke
• Organ damage
• Permanent disability
• Death