Since Essure was first released, more than 750,000 patients worldwide have had the device implanted. Although the devices seemed to be a miracle option at first, it soon became apparent that it was causing problems for many patients.
If you were one of the patients who got an Essure device, you may now be looking for a way to have the procedure reversed.
Essure reversal is possible, and you may be able to get pregnant naturally afterward. Read on to learn more about the procedure and how much you can expect to pay for a reversal.
What Is Essure?
Before we get into the procedure to reverse Essure, let’s talk some about what it is.
Essure was a permanent sterilization device that got approved by the FDA in 2002 and was sold in the United States until 2018. The device was designed to block the fallopian tubes, keeping an egg from traveling down them to be fertilized.
Essure was a small spring-shaped device that a doctor could insert into the fallopian tubes. This procedure could sometimes be done in a doctor’s office and without anesthesia, since a doctor might be able to insert the coils through the vagina. Over time, the body would grow scar tissue around these coils, permanently blocking the fallopian tubes.
Dangers of the Product
When it first got approved, Essure seemed like a safe, effective, and convenient way for women to get sterilized. Unfortunately, patients soon started reporting serious problems after they got an Essure implant.
On the milder end of the spectrum, patients reported headaches, fatigue, hair loss, and pain in their abdomens, backs, and pelvises. Some people reported a change in weight, and others found that they experienced more mood swings.
Some people, however, experienced much more serious consequences. Some patients got pregnant even with Essure in place, and others had allergic reactions to the inserts. Others discovered that their inserts had shifted into their abdominal or pelvic cavities, and some discovered that their Essure device had punctured their fallopian tubes or uterus.
Do You Need It Removed?
If you got an Essure device, you may be wondering if you need to get it removed. According to the FDA, as long as you aren’t having any problems with it, it should be safe for you to leave your Essure in place. There’s no evidence that the device will suddenly start causing problems if it hasn’t up to this point.
However, it’s completely understandable if you would feel more secure having your Essure device removed. Unfortunately, this removal will involve a surgical procedure since there is scar tissue around your device. Your doctor can remove it, but it’s not as simple as just pulling it back out of your fallopian tube.
Can Essure Be Reversed?
Of course, you may have an additional reason for wanting to get your Essure device removed. If you’ve changed your mind about wanting to become pregnant again after you got your Essure device, you may be wondering if the procedure can be reversed. Since the device blocks your fallopian tubes, is it possible to get naturally pregnant again?
Rest assured that Essure can be reversed, and you may be able to become pregnant afterward. During this procedure, your doctor will remove the section of your fallopian tubes that the Essure device sits in. Then they’ll reconnect the healthy ends of your fallopian tubes so they can heal back together into one continuous passage.
Your Age
Whether or not your Essure reversal surgery is successful will depend on a number of factors. And while there is no guarantee of pregnancy afterward, certain factors may make it more likely that you get pregnant. One of the biggest factors is how old you are at the time of your reversal procedure.
In general, once you pass the age of 35, pregnancy has more risk but these risks do not increase dramatically until after the age of 42. If you do get pregnant, the chances that your child is born with some sort of congenital defect go up. This doesn’t mean a healthy pregnancy is impossible by any means, but the younger you are, the more likely you are to have a successful procedure.
How Long You’ve Had Essure
The other big factor that can impact the success of your procedure is how long you’ve had your Essure device. The longer the device is in your body, the more scar tissue your body forms around it (to an extent). More scar tissue means that your doctor may have a harder time getting clean margins on your fallopian tubes with enough room to reconnect them.
If you think you may want to become pregnant again after a sterilization procedure, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you set up a reversal procedure, the less permanent damage there will be to your fallopian tubes. Even a few months could give you a better shot at a natural pregnancy down the line.
Your Overall Fertility
Of course, the presence or absence of an Essure device is only one piece of the overall question about whether you can get pregnant. Even if you didn’t have an Essure device, you might have some underlying fertility issues that would make pregnancy difficult. Likewise, your partner might have some fertility problems that have nothing to do with your Essure.
Your overall fertility will be a huge factor in determining if you can get pregnant after an Essure removal. If you’re considering a reversal procedure, it may be a good idea to get some fertility tests done beforehand. If you or your partner have unrelated fertility issues, IVF or similar options may be a better choice for you.
Will Insurance Pay for Reversal?
One of the first questions patients ask about an Essure reversal procedure is how much they’ll have to pay. Surgery is expensive, especially if your insurance won’t pay for it, and many patients aren’t able to afford the costs. Unfortunately, most insurance companies will not pay for an Essure reversal procedure.
Since Essure gets considered a dangerous medical device, your insurance company may pay for removal since the procedure isn’t your fault. But a reversal procedure is considered a fertility procedure and so gets classified as an elective surgery. Since it’s not medically necessary, you may have to pay out of pocket for the procedure.
Procedure Cost
So how much will you wind up paying for your Essure reversal surgery?
If you can pay for your procedure with cash, it will cost you $8,500, almost half the cost of a single cycle of in vitro fertilization. Our patients experience a 35 to 40 percent chance of pregnancy after an Essure reversal procedure.
If you can’t afford to pay cash for your procedure, we do offer financing options. The cost of the procedure will go up to $9,100 if you choose to finance it, since you won’t be getting the cash discount. However, this is still significantly cheaper than IVF, which can cost about $14,000 for a single cycle.
Legal Action
Now you may be wondering why you have to pay for a reversal procedure out of pocket if you got a faulty medical device. Many patients have brought lawsuits against Bayer, the company that makes Essure, claiming negligence. In fact, these lawsuits are a large part of the reason the devices are no longer sold in the United States.
If you’ve had problems with your Essure device, you may be entitled to compensation from one of these class action lawsuits. This can help to offset or cover the cost of your removal or reversal procedure. If you think you may be eligible for this compensation, it’s a good idea to talk to an attorney specializing in healthcare law.
Recovery Timeline
If you have an Essure reversal procedure, you’ll need to know how long the recovery process will take. Most Essure reversals can be done as laparoscopic procedures. This means that your doctor will use thin instruments inserted through small slits in your abdomen, rather than doing a full open surgery.
Recovery from an Essure reversal procedure usually takes about two weeks. After the first week or so, you should be able to go to work as long as your job allows you to sit most of the time and doesn’t require heavy lifting. You can also drive and perform other day-to-day tasks after the first few days of recovery.
Learn More About Essure Reversal
Essure seemed like a promising form of permanent birth control, but it wound up causing problems for a lot of patients. Essure reversal is possible, and as many as 40 percent of patients can have a natural pregnancy after the procedure.
Although you will likely have to pay for this procedure out of pocket, it’s much more affordable than IVF would be.
If you’d like to learn more about Essure reversal, check out the rest of our site at www.tubal-reversal.net
We are the world’s leading tubal reversal practice and have been performing tubal ligation reversal for twenty-five years.
Contact us today and start your path to pregnancy the easy way.