Nuvaring is a prescription birth control product that releases synthetic hormones, primarily to prevent a woman from ovulating and secondarily to minimize sperm penetration into any eggs present if the ovulation was not successfully suppressed. The hormones, estrogen and progestin, are the same ones present in birth control pills, but Nuvaring is not a pill, it is a ring inserted into the body once a month that releases these hormones when it comes in contact with the skin. Scientists believe that the estrogen and progestin introduced into the body in this way increase the likelihood of the formation of blood clots in the deep veins of the body.

Promoted as a 99%-effective birth control method that eliminates the risk of forgetting to take the pill occasionally, Nuvaring users have frequently reported dangerous side effects from complications due to deep vein thrombosis to pulmonary embolisms and even death.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a very serious condition that occasionally causes symptoms such as leg or ankle pain, edema, unexplained cramping or “charley horses” but is just as often asymptomatic. A thrombus is a blood clot. When one or more blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs or other parts of the body the situation become dangerous if they break free from their moorings and travel into the lungs to cause a pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism is a blockage to the primary artery of the lung, or one of its tributaries. Pulmonary embolisms must be treated immediately and are often fatal.

Women using Nuvaring and some other forms of birth control have an increased risk that is further increased by smoking 15 or more cigarettes a day. However, not smoking is no guarantee of avoiding the risk of a serious condition when using this sort of birth control.

Although the most common side effects Nuvaring users report are mild, including weight gain, headaches and nausea, anyone on Nuvaring who experiences excessive anxiety, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, unexplained and swelling, redness or warped and the legs or arms or pain and the extremities may be experiencing deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism and should seek medical attention immediately.

If you or someone you know used or is using Nuvaring and has suffered from deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism, financial compensation may be possible if you enlist in the services of a product liability lawyer to represent your case against this product. It is essential to act quickly in order to file within the time frame delineated by the statutes of limitations surrounding claims of this nature.