Implantable Birth Control Devices May Go Missing Inside Body

Implantable birth control devices are under scrutiny over reports that some have gone missing in a number of women.

The devices, implanted in the forearm or uterus, may in rare cases migrate to other parts of a woman’s body.

ABC News reports that the number of lost-device cases in the US is unclear. However, an article in the UK Daily Mail says there have been a number of cases there involving Implanon in which the contraceptive implant moved from its original location under the skin of the forearm.

The news has sparked worry for many U.K. women who use the device that it might get lost and impact their fertility.

Merck, the manufacturer of Implanon, has a warning about potential issues in its patient handout that notes removal may be “difficult or impossible” if the device has moved, according to ABC News. The migration of the device within the deep fatty tissue of the upper arm would likely require a procedure to remove it.

However, while women are not at risk themselves from a lost medical device, they might not be able to conceive until it is located and removed or until the hormone runs out, which can take several years, reports ABC News.

Similar issues exist with intrauterine devices, including the possibility that the device could perforate the uterus and migrate to the abdominal cavity.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by an unsafe medical device, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if a product liability lawyer may be able to help you.

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