I had the Essure procedure done in November 2011. The reason I chose Essure is because after having two healthy children I was told I had hypertension. I had thought about getting pregnant again but was warned against it since I would be considered high risk. My form of birth control at the time was the birth control pill. Once I turned 35 I was strongly advised to investigate other forms of birth control since someone with hypertension should not take hormonal birth control as there can be debilitating side effects. I researched and decided on Essure. I had the procedure without any complaints and the follow up HSG procedure revealed I could stop taking my birth control pill. Fast forward about 18 months later and I discovered I was pregnant. I went through numerous tests (blood work, ultrasounds, etc…) to determine that the pregnancy was viable and not ectopic. It was revealed to me that one of the Essure inserts was missing. No one can tell me where it is or how it came dislodged. Every time I ask a question about where the insert may be, I am told things like, ‘This is unheard of’ or ‘This is uncharted territory.’ It is very concerning. I did email the manufacturer of Essure but received no substantial response. I decided to keep the pregnancy but am faced with being considered ‘high risk’ due to my hypertension. Hypertension during pregnancy can result in stroke, kidney failure, seizures, and even death. These are real concerns for me as I am entering my 3rd trimester. I think there should be more research done on Essure and the failure rate. I think women should be advised of the risks prior to having the procedure. When I researched it online I found very few negative comments on the procedure but as I can see from this website that simply is not the truth. I would not recommend the procedure to anyone since I clearly don’t believe in it or its efficacy. I am keeping my fingers crossed in these last three months for a healthy baby and my own health. I am also hopeful that after I deliver I may be able to get more definitive answers about whether or not there is a foreign object floating around in my body waiting to do more damage.
Thanks for the time,
Linda