Heavy bleeding, bleeding between periods, experiencing extra pain: These symptoms can make you miserable. You might avoid all types of activities because of the bleeding. Fibroids could be the cause. If so, endometrial ablation can bring relief. About 30% to 45% of women stopped bleeding right away. Most returned to work and a full life within a week.
Endometrial ablation offers:
- A quick procedure in your doctor's office
- Fast recovery
- No surgery or medicines
- Very few risks
Heavy periods can have many causes. Changing hormones, At UVA, you'll find experts to diagnose the cause of your bleeding. We'll get a sample of your uterine tissue. Then we can customize your treatment plan to make it work for you.
Is Endometrial Ablation for You?
If medications and other treatments haven't helped, this procedure works best for women who have:
- To change their tampon or pad almost every hour
- Anemia from the bleeding
- Tried medications and other treatments - and they don't work
To qualify, you must not:
- Want to get pregnant - ablation can make it very hard to impossible to get pregnant
- Be at risk for endometrial cancer
- Have an odd-shaped uterus
Other conditions can put you at risk and mean this procedure isn't your best option.
Endometrial Ablation Procedure
In endometrial ablation, we get rid of the lining of your uterus, which then eliminates the cause of menstrual bleeding. We can use heat, cold, radiowaves, and other methods to remove the lining.
To access your uterus, we don't need to make any cuts. Instead, we insert a small tool through your vagina and cervix, into your uterus. We use this tool to apply the heat or other energy to the lining.
Ablation doesn't always destroy your uterine lining 100%. About 20% of women need to repeat the procedure or get another treatment.
To get started, see your OB-GYN or primary care doctor about your heavy periods.