Conceptus, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets the Essure permanent birth control system, a medical device for women that is approved for marketing in the United States by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Essure system uses a soft and flexible micro-insert that is delivered into a woman's fallopian tubes to provide permanent birth control by causing benign tissue in-growth that blocks the fallopian tubes. A properly placed Essure micro-insert and the subsequent tissue growth prohibits the egg from traveling through the fallopian tubes and therefore prevents fertilization. On January 7, 2008, the Company acquired all of the outstanding shares of Conceptus SAS. Through Conceptus SAS, it sells Essure directly in France and uses distributors to sell Essure throughout the rest of Europe.