ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION

Endometrial ablation is a procedure that surgically ablates or does away with the lining of your uterus to lessen menstrual flow for women who have menstrual bleeding problems, abnormal tissues such as fibroids, polyps, or cancer of the uterus.

Bleeding problems may include:

• Unusually heavy periods, sometimes defined as soaking a pad or tampon every two hours or less
• Bleeding that lasts longer than eight days
• Anemia from excessive blood loss

After an endometrial ablation, in some women, menstrual flow may stop completely. The physician inserts very thin tools into the passageway between your vagina and uterus (cervix) to complete the procedure.

There are a variety of ways to perform endometrial ablation. They might include extreme cold, heated fluids, microwave energy or high-energy radiofrequencies.

Some types of endometrial ablation can be done in your doctor’s office. Others must be performed in an operating room. Factors such as the size and condition of your uterus will help determine which endometrial ablation method is most appropriate.

Pregnancy can occur after endometrial ablation. However, these pregnancies might be higher risk to mother and baby. The pregnancy might end in miscarriage because the lining of the uterus has been damaged, or the pregnancy might occur in the fallopian tubes or cervix instead of the uterus (ectopic pregnancy).

Some types of sterilization procedures can be done at the time of endometrial ablation. If you are having endometrial ablation, long-lasting contraception or sterilization is recommended to prevent pregnancy.

Please call our offices to talk to your doctor about whether you may be a candidate for endometrial ablation at (601) 936-9190.