QUESTION
Will NuvaRing Be Recalled From the Market Due to the Blood Clot Risk from the Birth Control Ring?
ANSWER
Despite a growing number of lawsuits filed by former users and mounting evidence linking side effects of NuvaRing birth control to an increased risk of blood clots, there is no indication that NuvaRing will be removed from the market in the immediate future.
Please note that the lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are no longer taking on new cases involving NuvaRing. The content on this page is provided for informational purposes only.
NuvaRing is a birth control ring that is inserted once a month into the vagina to prevent pregnancy through the release a combination of the estrongen hormone ethinyl estradiol (EE) and the third generation progestin etonogestrel. It is often prescribed as an alternative to oral birth control pills.
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent women throughout the United States who are pursuing financial compensation through a NuvaRing lawsuit as a result of the manufacturer’s failure to properly research the effects of the birth control ring or adequately warn that the risk of suffering a stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or other blood clot injury may be higher with NuvaRing.
During an FDA advisory committee meeting in December 2011, independent advisors to the FDA reviewed the risk of blood clots with NuvaRing and other newer forms of contraceptives. Although data released by the FDA prior to the meetings suggested that women may face a 56% higher risk of blood clots with NuvaRing when compared to use of older birth control pills, the panel did not recommend a recall be issued to remove NuvaRing from the market.
Although there are serious and potentially life-threatening risks associated with NuvaRing, many in the medical community believe that it remains a viable alternative for women concerned about increasing their risk of pregnancy due to forgetting to take a daily birth control pill. Therefore, the FDA is unlikely to require a NuvaRing recall be issued.
Allowing NuvaRing to remain on the market does not diminish the product liability lawsuits being pursued by women who have suffered an injury. The manufacturer still had a duty to provide sufficient warnings for women to determine whether they were willing to accept the increased risk of blood clots before deciding to use the birth control ring.
Several studies released in 2012 demonstrated that side effects of NuvaRing pose a greater risk than the drug makers have disclosed, with women potentially facing double the risk of venous thrombosis when compared to women taking some older birth control pills containing levonorgestrel.
28 Comments • Add Your Comments
Latashia says:
How dare them not recall the medication! I was on the ring for less than 30 days and got a blood clot in my lung.
Posted on May 17, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Stacy says:
I’ve been using Nuva ring for almost 3 years and have not had any problems. I feel this has to do with women who are over 35 who continue smoking whilst using the ring. Or even younger women who smoke during using the ring and obviously are warned against it. But people just don’t listen or follow direction well.
Posted on May 24, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Sula says:
It says right on the label that there is an increased risk for blood clots and what not. All birth control methods share this risk. I have used Nuvaring for 2 years with no problems. I love it. I hope they keep selling it.
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Kate says:
I was on the ring for nearly 2 years & it wasn’t until the end of that spanse of time that I started to experience odd symptoms. I switched to Mirena, which is definitely less work, and doesn’t have any estrogen in it. I’m MUCH happier!
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:30 am
Cheniqua says:
I am 25 and never smoked. I had this same issue after being on the ring for a few years.
Posted on July 12, 2012 at 1:51 am
Shannon says:
I have been on the nuva ring 9 yrs minus the time I was off to have my second child. I haven’t had any blood clots. But I have had frequent discomfort in the chest that makes me worried of heart problems.
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:55 am
Kendy says:
I was on the ring for 6 years. I have horrible painful veins in my legs that I never would have guessed from this! Not to mention, I got pregnant on it towards the end of that 6 years! Never missed a day to put it in or take it out!
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Lacey says:
I was on the nuva ring for about a year then found out in the beg of feb I had a blood clot in my lower extremity when i was having pain and cramping.
Posted on July 15, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Kassie says:
when i was on the nuvaring i had some scary migraines calls hemiplegic migraines, they act as a stroke, causing blindness, amnesia, paralysis. that was a night i thought i was going to die, the doctors didn’t link it to the birth control but i haven’t had an attack as severe as when i was on the nuvaring. be leary of that bc, its dangerous.
Posted on July 18, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Leticia says:
Ok, im 31 and was on it for 1 mth. I had to take it out. I got headaches, flu like symptoms, I had sweats, swollen vaginal area, felt like I WAS DYING, I was in pain and cramping. I didnt get out of bed the whole time I was on it. I DONT SMOKE! I had body aches, my legs ached, I swelled up all over my body. my muscles ached. from ONE mth on this product. I was trying something new cause I have endometriosis and birth control makes it better but I am the person who forgets so I went for it.. It was the worse decision I ever made in my life!! I also had a panic attack, deep depression, and I cried ALL the time! So its not just people over 35 and that smoke!
Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:24 pm
melissa says:
Explains why i have pain in my legs. I recently started anxiety and depression medication. I now have to get b12 injections often due to a new anemia i now have. I wonder if this is related. Totally taking it out as we speak.
Posted on July 27, 2012 at 10:44 am
Ak says:
I have been on the nuva ring for 5+ years and I am a smoker and have not had any problems. I love it! Everyone is warned about the risks when starting this method of birth control! I feel sorry for the people who have gotten sick, but at the same time, if you were “responsible” and remembered to take your birth control every day, then you prob wouldn’t use the nuva ring and be in the situations you are in. Not to sound mean, but don’t blame anyone else. The warnings were there! Its your responsibility to read them and be up to date on the medications you are taking!
Posted on August 2, 2012 at 1:17 am
Stacey says:
I was on it for 60 days and ended up in the ER with a blood clot in my lung. Put me in hospital for 2 days and out of work for a week! Not to mention the meds I have to take for months to come. I hope they pull it off the market!!
Posted on August 5, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Lauren says:
Please take out your nuva ring! I am 31 and just had a stroke caused by it. This was the worst thing my family and I have ever had to live through. Its not worth it. Use a different BC.
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 7:13 am
Emilee says:
I was on the nuva ring for about four months. I came off of it as soon as i seen a commercial saying that the nuvaring is under a lawsuit. I was really scared to hear that. Im 17 years old and i never smoked. I havent suffered any thpe of side effects from it except my flow was a tad bit heavier. But other then that i was fine. The nuvaring is the best form of birth control that i have been on and i would recommend it to anybody. I really hope that this lawsuit does go away. Also i hope the people who were unfortunate to suffer from serious side effects do get well.
Posted on August 24, 2012 at 10:25 am
SYNDAL says:
I JUST SWITCHED FROM NUVA RING BECAUSE IT ALWAYS KEPT COMING OUT DURING SEXUAL ACTIVITY, SO I SWITCHED TO A DIFFERENT BIRTH CONTROL. HOW DO I FIND OUT IF ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH ME? WHAT QUESTIONS WOULD I I HAVE TO ASK THE DOCTOR?
Posted on August 25, 2012 at 2:30 am
chelsea says:
i was on the nuva ring FOR ABOUT 2 AND HALF YEARS and just stopped taking it about a month ago because i began gettin chest pains ANYONE ELSE!?!?!?!?
Posted on August 26, 2012 at 7:56 pm
Tricia says:
I have been using NuvaRing for 9 years, as prescribed to suppress my menstrual cycles due to endemetriosis and super heavy bleeding. I am 48 years old, 122 lbs at 5’8″. My doctor continues to prescribe, as each year’s physical plus full bloodwork do not put me in a higher risk category. As long as they monitor blood pressure and cholesterol particularly, and I maintain a healthy weight, they say I can stay on it indefinitely. I have NEVER SMOKED. I have never had a single side-effect in my 9 years of usage, and find that’s it is easy to insert (and remove during intercourse). I was one of the patients who could never take a daily birth control pill with any regularity….. sad to admit.
Posted on August 29, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Nola says:
Read reviews.Bought for my daughter. Afraid to use because of possible side effects. Want to return and get $82.00 back
Posted on September 4, 2012 at 7:52 am
tiarra says:
I have been using the ring for 7 yrs. It has been great for me until this year. The beginning of the year I started having horrable cheast pains, Im only 33 I do not smoke and I never thought it my chest pain could be from my ring. I ended up in the ER three times in one week. They ran a test on my blood and it came back with a high number for blood clots. I still continue to use the ring, because I didnt think my issues where from my ring until I starting writing it down the times my chest would hurt when I took it out and started my periods. I hate that its due to my ring because I truly did love it.
Posted on September 16, 2012 at 4:15 pm
SCV says:
I thought i lost my wife!
My wife just suffered from “Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis” -Blood Clot, followed by a nasty siezure. She just turned 35!!! (non smoker and active.) I though she died on me!!!! She was on it for 6 years, No problem then i come home from work and she starts talking funny, words did not make sense and she didn’t know her own name. Yes people react differently to meds, however, please just be balanced on your decision for taking this drug. BTW, the ER doctor said immediately after her seizure, “I am removing this NuvaRing now!!”.
My wife is stable and fine now, but i NEVER would want anyone to see there loved one in an ICU at a young age having strokes & seizure . I think this took 10 years off of my life due to stress.
-Enjoy each day with your loved ones.
Posted on October 23, 2012 at 4:01 pm
KEE KEE says:
I was on nuvaring for all of 60 days!! My legs started swelling and hurting. I thought it was from exercise but then I started having horrible chest pain. Needless to say I had clots in both legs and lungs. I stayed in the hospital for a week. I was on Coumadin for a little over a year. It caused so much damage in my life. Please be aware. I was only 25 and I have never smoked.
Posted on November 20, 2012 at 1:55 am
kandis says:
I’ve been on nuva ring 3 years. My gallbladder has had to be removed. It was a emergency surgery. Still sick nausea vomiting diarrhea fatigue weakness stomach cramping trouble eating sleeping daily life. u name it I was goin through it. Several doctors and procedures later it was suggested that the nuva ring was my problem. Everyday I would just try to make it through what resembled pregnancy symptoms caused by the stupid bc. I have since taken it out to see if it is actually the cause of my daily sickness.
Posted on September 20, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Brittney says:
My name is brittney. I am 24 yrs old n this is my store about the nuvaring. I had taken the nuva ring from 2008-2010 I had no problems at all. I moved away n I stopped using the nuva ring for a while. Then in 2012 i started to reuse the nuva ring and that is when all the problems started. I started to gain an excessive amount of weight. Then I started to lose my hair alittle more then usual. Then I started to get major Pain in my abdomen. The pain most of the time was so bad that I would be on the floor crying in a ball because it hurt so bad. Then as the days went on the pain had become so bad that I couldn’t stand it any more. I had to stop n remove the nuvaring or the pain would not stop. And when I took the nuva ring out to have my periods they would be so bad that I would have to change my tampon every two hours. The last day that I had the nuva ring in I had got my period so bad that it seemed like I was just peeing out blood. It was so heavy that I had to change my tampon and my pad every ten minutes I was bleed so bad. I am no longer on the nuva ring now. But I tell everyone I no that tells me they want to get it I tell them my store. I was getting every side affect that the papers say. And the nuva ring made my life a living hell. And I will never use it again.
Posted on February 11, 2014 at 4:07 pm
WDS says:
I had the NUVARING in for 3 WEEKS. I was a healthy 20 year old and did not smoke. I had a stroke, lost most of my vision, and now have severe vulvodynia (chronic vaginal inflammation, pain during intercourse etc.) I can not stand to put or have a tampon in my vagina . I broke up with my boyfriend over painful intercourse. I am now 21 and struggle every day with suicidal thoughts. I have had to cut off multiple friends and family that just don’t understand the life and pain I am forced to live with everyday. I am paying thousands of dollars to go to a world renowned specialist across the US to help with my pain. There are only about 30 specialist like this in the US. Deciding on this type of birth control was by the far the worst decision of my life. Please use a different type of birth control, this one is not worth the “convenience,” they love to advertise. I would suggest going to a holistic doctor for birth control.
Posted on June 2, 2015 at 11:43 pm
Brandy says:
I am 40 and I smoke. I have been on Nuvaring 3 years now. I have had so many problems with other birth controls that I think we need to stop assuming what is the best product for women. Why can’t they perform more specific tests to see what birth control is right for each individual woman? We are not all the same and can’t expect 1 product to work for us all. I would love to get multiple tests done and have an answer that is more for just me than to say here try this for 3 mths and let’s see what happens. I am sorry for those with problems. If they were tested and told that product is not for you all this would be avoided? Just a thought is all
Posted on December 28, 2015 at 9:38 pm
N says:
Reading the content of this birth control, I didn’t know that this product was put on recall. I am not sure if I was one of the victim that was involved in here. I used the NuvaRing for sometime and had stopped using it in 2014 because we wanted to have a family but I developed a Fibroid tumor. I was bleeding for 3-4 months non-stop. Then my husband researched this birth control. Then he found out that this product was on recall. Some people who took this had a heart problem, blood clot or similar development like fibroid tumor, then I can say that I’m one of the victims on this recall.
Posted on February 19, 2020 at 11:58 am
Allison says:
Has anyone experienced infertility with this nuvaring
Posted on January 8, 2021 at 2:34 am