Nexplanon is a contraceptive implant that has been linked recently to an increased risk for serious health concerns. This method of birth control is about the size of a matchstick and is subcutaneously implanted into the arm, gradually releasing low doses of progestin etonogestrel over a period of three years. Nexplanon changes important female hormones, which subsequently increases the chances that users will develop a possibly life-threatening form of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
How Nexplanon Works
Nexplanon, manufactured by Merck & Co., is a small implant made of plastic designed to be placed under the upper arm skin to prevent pregnancy lasting up to 3 years. The implant measures about 4 cm in length and 2 mm in diameter and contains a synthetic hormone called etonogestrel, which is released into the bloodstream continuously to prevent pregnancy. If a woman has a normal menstrual cycle, the matured egg is released from the ovaries every month during ovulation. The hormone called progesterone is produced by the ovary to prevent more than 1 egg from being released and also gets the lining of the womb ready for a potential pregnancy. If a woman becomes pregnant, the levels of progesterone remain elevated to maintain the lining of the womb. If a woman does not get pregnant, those levels drop and she begins her menstrual period.
Nexplanon contains etonogestrel that tricks the body by making it think that ovulation has already happened by keeping high levels of progesterone and preventing eggs from being released from the ovaries. This is how Nexplanon decreases the chances of an unwanted pregnancy. The mucus within the cervix is also thickened by the etonogestrel, which makes it harder for sperm to cross into the womb from the vagina and helps prevent a successful fertilization of an egg.
Problems With The Nexplanon
Since its approval by the FDA in November 2011, Nexplanon has been linked to blood clots that can be life threatening. Deep vein thrombosis is the kind of blood clot that has been most associated with Nexplanon and usually happens deep inside the veins of the legs. Common symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are warmth and redness where the clot is, swelling, pain or tenderness around the vein, shooting pains while the feet are flexed, an achy throbbing in the calves and dilation of the veins on the surface. In addition to these dangerous blood clots, other common side effects of the Nexplanon include headaches, pain or infections of the arm, nausea, sore breasts, weight gain, skin discoloration over the implant, and irregular bleeding.
Oklahoma Nexplanon Lawsuits
If you or a loved one has received the Nexplanon and suffered from blood clots, you should contact Oklahoma Attorney Group after seeking medical attention. Our affiliated lawyers can determine if you could be entitled to receive financial compensation through an Oklahoma Nexplanon Lawsuit against its manufacturer.
