NuvaRing Legal Information Center
Research shows the contraceptive vaginal ring sold under the brand name NuvaRing causes heart-related side effects, blood clots, and strokes. The Rottenstein Law Group compassionately advocates for those who have suffered from the harmful side effects of potentially dangerous drugs.
If you’ve used NuvaRing and believe it harmed you, contact RLG for a free, confidential legal consultation. We will evaluate your case and remain on the lookout for NuvaRing recalls and NuvaRing class action lawsuits. We might be the NuvaRing law firm you are looking for.
Who Manufactures NuvaRing?
The NuvaRing device was originally developed by Organon, a Dutch pharmaceutical company. Organon received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell NuvaRing in the United States on October 3, 2001, and began marketing the device in early 2002. By 2007, 1.5 million women were using NuvaRing worldwide.
In 2007, Schering-Plough purchased Organon, and in 2009 Schering-Plough merged with Merck.
What Is NuvaRing and How Does It Work?
NuvaRing is a flexible plastic (ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer) ring that a woman can insert into her vagina as a birth control device. Over a three-week time period, it releases low doses of progestin and estrogen hormones.
The ring works by releasing 0.120 mg/day of progestagen (etonogestral) and 0.015 mg/day of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) during the three-week period it is inside the vagina. Then women take a break week in which they have a normal menstrual period. This break week functions much the same way as the drug-free pills included in standard birth control regimens.
Researchers are testing the effects of extended NuvaRing use by skipping the break week and allowing women to insert a fresh ring back-to-back over the course of a bi-monthly, quarterly, or yearly bases.
NuvaRings are kept in place by vaginal muscles and is rarely expelled accidentally.
NuvaRing’s Potential Side Effects Are Life-Threatening
Caused by the device’s hormones’ impact on users, NuvaRing’s side-effects bear similarities to those caused by traditional combined oral contraceptives, and can be exacerbated by smoking and history of heart problems.
NuvaRing’s side effects are primarily cardiac in nature; they include the following:
- blood clots;
- stroke;
- myocardial infarction;
- pulmonary embolism (PE);
- deep vein thrombosis (DVT);
- heart attack;
- heart arrhythmia;
- gallbladder disease requiring surgery or removal of the gallbladder; and
- death.
Women’s bodies metabolize NuvaRing’s etonogestrel into desogestrel, which increases the risk of blood clots by 1.5 to 2.4 times the risk of older oral contraceptives according to two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Additionally, in May 2012, the British Medical Journal published a meta-analysis of women who were using non-oral hormonal contraceptives (including NuvaRing) based on data contained in four Danish medical registries. The studies focused on 626,158 non-pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 49 who did not have a history of thrombosis or cancer between 2001 and 2010. The researchers determined that vaginal ring use increased the risk of thrombosis by 6.5 times compared to women of the same age who did not use them. The risk corresponded to 7.8 thrombosis events per 10,000 exposure years.
Have Any NuvaRing Lawsuits Been Filed?
NuvaRing’s side effects have not prompted a NuvaRing recall. That will not stop injured parties from filing NuvaRing lawsuits, however. To file a lawsuit for injuries you suffered as a result of product, that product doesn’t have to have been recalled.
People believe Organon misled consumers by minimizing NuvaRing’s warnings on the product’s labeling. A court dismissed the first NuvaRing class action lawsuit without prejudice in 2009, but the plaintiffs joined the ongoing Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) case against Organon. Now, all federal NuvaRing lawsuits are pending in MDL in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri before Judge Rodney Sippel. By the end of 2010, more than 730 people had joined the MDL process. Other state court cases are proceeding as well.
The NuvaRing MDL has moved briskly. By case management order, all discovery was to be concluded by June 24, 2011, and the parties will begin the process of choosing which cases will serve as bellwether trials scheduled to begin in March 2012.
RLG’s Will Make Things Easier
The process of demanding compensation for the harm you’ve suffered can be complicated, even if it doesn’t seem fair that you should have to go through even more trouble to be made whole again. The lawyers at the Rottenstein Law Group believe that obtaining legal satisfaction from those who harmed you shouldn’t require more hardship. That’s why we do everything we can to streamline the process, and we will file a NuvaRing lawsuit on your behalf if necessary.
RLG will also keep you up to date on any NuvaRing class action lawsuits, FDA NuvaRing warnings, and NuvaRing FDA recall announcements.
If you have taken NuvaRing and believe it harmed you, contact RLG today.
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Previous Comments
I am having cardiac issues, and am under the impression it is due to nuva ring.
I have been on NuvaRing for years took a 6 month break off of it and then started back on it in May of 2011. Up until this point I have loved it and not had any problems what so ever. But about a month ago I had a massive UTI. It has been over a month and I am still having pain peeing and abdominal pain. The doctor has done 2 rounds of antibiotics and now at age 24 he is placing me on frequent urination pills and a pill to keep my bladder from spasming. This problem all started no more than 2 months ago. I feel it may have been caused by the nuvaring. Has anyone else had these problems?
I tried nuvaRing for the first time last Feburary 2012. I used it the proper way, the way my nurse directed me. After the 3 weeks, I took it out like I was supposed to and waited a week and did not see my cycle. I was advised to still put in another nuvaring exactly a week after taking the old one out. However my medical insurance cancelled and I wasn't able to pay for it. So for March, April and May I wasn't taking any birth control. May 7th, I had to have emergency surgery where I lost a lot of blood, my left fallopian tube and a pregnancy. I could have died. I was told that I have a serious case of endometriosis. This is all new to me after having my son two years ago everything checked out to be healthy. Please tell me if I have a case against nuvaring. I know it won't bring my baby back or my fallopian tube but it will bring some kind of justice to my situation.
I had pretty much the same thing to me. I was on the ring for about three years using it properly. I had no problems until one night I was working and had so much pain I couldn't take it. I went to the ER and was immediately rush to surgery. I was pregnant and never missed one period. I lost my left fallopian tube and a portion of my uterus. I know I won't ever be using this product again. I may have also lost my ability to have children all together. I as well almost died.
I used the NuvaRing for several years after being told by my doctor that it could make my periods lighter. However, I noticed that they actually became heavier and more clottier. Til this day they are extremely heavy and filled with clots. I just thought it was because I was getting older. Now that I see people having the same problems I am completely disgusted and convinced it is because of this birth control. I was actually going to start using it again. I'm glad I've been informed of what's going on.
I have been on nuva ring for the past 2 months and have been having heavy bleeding and extremely bad blood clots. When I informed my doctor, I was told it will go away - there is no concern about it. It has not gotten better and I have recently started to have bad chest pains.
I have been on nuvaring since March 22,2012. During my time with the nuvaring, I did not have any complaints. Also, I experienced some moderate spotting off and on. Recently, on June 15, I began a light period with minor cramping. My period began to gradually become heavier during the week on June 19,2012 when the abdominal pains started to increase. On June 22,2012, I called my doctor but I spoke to a nurse who stated she could answer my questions and relay the message to my doctor. I explained I was having severe abdominal pain, dizziness which made difficult to focus and balance, and blood clots the size of an egg rushing out of me. The pain was so unbearable I sat through a procedure assisting the dentist I work for and I was completely drenched in blood covering my assistant chair. I was mortified and I went to the ER to make sure I was ok. At my ER visit, they gave me an IV to put back cells I lost causing dehydration, and my lab results were all normal and no pregnancy! No infection & normal hemoglobin level! Although, I am done with the nuva ring.
I took Nuvaring one month and it caused me so much pain. A lot of different things was happening, I could not understand what was happening. I haven't taken the product since, I was just concerned. My periods are heavier now, I have severe abdominal pain. I wish I had never taken this product.
I would get the stomach pain checked out. I had the same thing and ended up having to have my gallbladder removed. I am currently trying to figure out if it was caused by Nuvaring. Gallbladder problems seem to be a problem with Nuvaring.
I used Nuva Ring for a less then a year and as soon as I started using Nuva Ring, I started to get UTI’s. Sometimes it was so bad that I was on medication for two weeks at a time and as soon as the UTI would go away another one would start up. I was on medication for two months straight. I even had to see a specialist who told me I should try a different Birth Control asap. As soon as I stop using Nuva Ring the UTI stopped.
Was on NuvaRing less than 1 year due to constant UTI's and chest pain. Still have a vein in my right arm that is extremely thick and darkly colored that was never visible before taking this drug.
I am currently on the nuvaring, I have stopped using it, and restarted. And every month that it is in there, the blood comes out in chucks during my menstrual cycle. And I know it's a common thing, but it does not happen when I'm discontinued. Not only that, but I also get pain that causes numbing.
Very concerned about all I've been reading about this nuvaring. And everyone's comments below. Within one month of using nuva ring, I had to have my gallbladder removed. And I know for fact that my gallbladder was fine prior, too. Due to cat scan and two ultrasounds on my gallbladder. Going on my second month of nuva ring use, scared what's next to break.
I used the Nuva ring from roughly 2008-2010. During my use with it, I frequently experienced a nauseous feeling and multiple headaches a week. It was discomforting however I stayed with it because I wasn't good with the pill and I figured this was a better option for me, despite the discomfort.