U.K. NICE Updates Clinical Guidelines to Support Use of Essure®

Conceptus, Inc. (Nasdaq: CPTS), developer of the Essure procedure, the first proven non-incisional permanent birth control method available, today announced that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom has updated its guidance on hysteroscopic sterilization to support the use of the Essure permanent birth control procedure. This recommendation means that the Essure procedure now will be a more widely offered benefit under the U.K. national healthcare system.

"We welcome this updated guidance from NICE and hope that it will enable more women in the U.K. to have access to this faster and safer method of permanent contraception,” commented Dr. Andrew Baxter, FRCOG of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. “NICE has recognized the significant clinical evidence for the safety and efficacy of hysterscopic sterilization which have made Essure the recognized ‘gold standard’ technique in Europe since 2003.”

Among its findings, NICE concluded that there is sufficient safety and efficacy data on hysterscopic sterilization by tubal cannulation and placement of intrafallopian implants, which includes Essure, to support the use of this procedure in the U.K.

“This update by NICE will open the way for us to enter the mainstream U.K. healthcare market,” commented Mark Sieczkarek, president and chief executive officer of Conceptus. “We believe this important guidance provides additional advancement in our European business and further solidifies our international growth opportunities.”

About the Essure® Procedure

The Essure procedure is a permanent birth control method that can be done in the comfort of a physician’s office in about 13 minutes (average hysteroscopic procedure time) without hormones, cutting, burning or the risks associated with general anesthesia or tubal ligation. Small, flexible micro-inserts are placed in the woman’s fallopian tubes through the cervix without incisions. Over the next three months, the body forms a natural barrier around the micro-inserts to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Essure is 99.8 percent effective (based on four years of follow-up) with zero pregnancies reported in clinical trials.

Three months after the Essure procedure, a doctor performs an Essure Confirmation Test to confirm that the fallopian tubes are fully blocked and that the patient can rely on Essure for permanent birth control with full confidence. Essure was FDA approved in 2002 and more than 310,000 women worldwide have undergone the Essure procedure.

Essure and Conceptus® are registered trademarks of Conceptus Inc.

About Conceptus, Inc.

Conceptus, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPTS), is a leader in the design, development and marketing of innovative women's healthcare. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company manufactures and markets Essure permanent birth control. The Essure procedure is available in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Middle East.

Please visit www.essure.com for more information on the Essure procedure. Patients may call the Essure Information Center at 1-877-ESSURE-1 with questions or to find a physician in their area. Information about Conceptus is available at www.conceptus.com.

©2008. All rights reserved. Conceptus and Essure are registered trademarks and your Family is Complete your Choice is Clear is a service mark of Conceptus Inc.