Burleson's Dr. Robert Smith Reverses "Permanent" Birth Control

Essure is a birth control device designed to stay inside a woman's body forever. "There is no good way, from the company, from the manufacturer, to take it out," an Austin-based doctor told us in last week's cover story about the device. Thousands of women have come forward online and...

By Amy Martyn

July 30, 2015

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Essure is a birth control device designed to stay inside a woman's body forever. "There is no good way, from the company, from the manufacturer, to take it out," an Austin-based doctor told us in last week's cover story about the device.

Thousands of women have come forward online and to the Food and Drug Administration complaining about side effects they say they developed from Essure. Women desperate enough to get the device out will need drastic surgery — surgery that most doctors aren't willing or able to do. The patients affected call themselves "E-sisters" and help each other find trustworthy doctors. "A lot of us get scared, a lot of us don't want to manage patients with the Essure device in place because we've never had to do surgery like that," an El Paso doctor explained to us in last week's story.

Dr. Robert Smith of Burleson is one of just 15 doctors in the state the Texas E-sisters recommend. To perform the surgery, he depends on the strength he gets from his deeply held religious beliefs. You can watch our interview with him discussing Essure, his practice and his religion below:

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