Endometrial Ablation

1. Does your period affect your quality of life?
2. Are you bothered by the amount of bleeding or the pain that you have during your period?
3. Does your period make you feel depressed, tired or moody?
4. Are you afraid of having an embarrassing accident?
5. Do you have PMS symptoms such as headaches during your period?
6. Do you bleed more often than once a month?
7. Do your periods last too long?
8. Do your periods affect your social, athletic, or sexual activities or cause you to miss work?
9. Would your life improve if you could decrease or completely eliminate your periods?
10. Would you like to learn about a simple procedure that can help you get back to your life?

In addition to hormone therapy, Atlantic General Health System’s women’s health practitioners also provide NovaSure endometrial ablation to relieve the symptoms associated with excessive menstrual bleeding.

Aside from restricting the activities in which women feel they are able to participate, such heavy bleeding has several physical and emotional effects. Many women feel tired and nauseated or experience bad cramping or headaches. More than 75 percent of women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding also deal with depression or moodiness or feelings of anxiousness.

NovaSure is a simple, safe procedure that removes the lining of the uterus – the part that causes menstrual bleeding. It can reduce or stop bleeding entirely. It’s much less invasive than hysterectomy and avoids the potential side effects of hormones.

How it works:

1. Your doctor slightly opens your cervix (the opening to the uterus), and inserts a slender wand and extends a triangular mesh device into the uterus.
2. The mesh gently expands, fitting to the size and shape of your uterus.
3. Precisely measured radio frequency energy is delivered through the mesh for about 90 seconds.
4. The mesh device is pulled back into the wand, and both are removed from the uterus.

Advantages:

• Reduces problem bleeding in 77.7% of patients.
• Takes approximately 90 seconds for treatment, with a total procedure time of roughly five minutes.
• Can be performed at any time during the menstrual cycle.
• Can be performed in the doctor’s office.
• Recovery is very quick, in large part because there are no incisions.

Disadvantages:

• Only appropriate for women who have completed childbearing as pregnancy would be dangerous because the uterus would be unable to properly support fetal development.
• Requires local or general anesthesia.
• It is non-reversible and causes loss of fertility.
• Risk of complications associated with minimally invasive procedure.

To learn more about this option and to find out if it is right for you, you can schedule an appointment with one of our women's health providers by calling (443) 728-1050.