5 Important Facts About Endometrial Ablation

Your menstrual cycle is caused by the shedding of the uterine lining. Menstrual cycles vary from person to person, but typically they happen every 24 and 38 days and last up to eight days. Bleeding outside of this timeframe may be cause for concern.

If you’re dealing with bleeding that is abnormally heavy or outside your monthly cycle, Dr. Staci McHale and the award-winning team at New Beginnings OB-GYN in Las Vegas, Nevada, are here to help.

Abnormal bleeding (or menometrorrhagia) can result from many different factors, and endometrial ablation is a treatment that can help manage this type of bleeding if it becomes a problem. In the below, we examine abnormal bleeding and how to treat it.

Reasons for abnormal bleeding

Menometrorrhagia is a blanket term for two types of bleeding: menorrhagia, which is excessive bleeding during your period, and metrorrhagia, which is excessive bleeding that happens outside your cycle. 

Up to 35% of women deal with abnormal uterine bleeding globally. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including hormone imbalances, structural abnormalities, infections, medications, and different types of cancer. Medical conditions like liver and kidney disease, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and leukemia can also lead to excessive uterine bleeding.

Endometrial ablation is a procedure that removes the endometrial lining (endometrium) from your uterus. It is used to treat excessive menstrual bleeding where other treatments haven’t worked. Here are some things you should know before considering the procedure:

1. It can grow back

Your endometrium is removed during the treatment, but it can regrow normally or abnormally over time. If the lining does regrow, it may take months or years, depending on your age.

2. There are multiple methods

There are multiple methods used to remove the endometrium. Our team uses a form of radiofrequency ablation with NovaSure®, which only takes a short time and requires no incisions. Other popular treatment options include cryotherapy, hydrothermal, radiofrequency, electrocautery, and microwave ablation. 

3. It’s not right for everyone

Postmenopausal women should avoid endometrial ablation. It is also not recommended for those with an abnormally shaped uterus, vaginal infections, C-section scars, intrauterine devices (IUDs), fibroids, or who have previously had uterus surgeries. 

4. Ablation complicates pregnancy

Your endometrium is essential for fertilization and growing an embryo. Therefore, you should be aware that the treatment can make it more difficult to get pregnant and increases the risk of a miscarriage. 

5. It temporarily affects intimacy

After the treatment, you should wait a few days before having sex or inserting anything in your vagina. The timeframe may vary depending on the treatment method and your doctor’s recommendations.

Endometrial ablation is an option for millions of women. If you’re struggling with heavy or abnormal bleeding, make an appointment with Dr. McHale and her team at New Beginnings OB-GYN to find out if it is right for you.