Putting an End to Heavy Bleeding with Endometrial Ablation

For three weeks every month, your life is great, and you have the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. Then your period strikes, and you have to switch gears as you deal with heavy bleeding that makes basic functioning challenging as you try to manage the heavy flow. And you’re getting tired of these monthly disruptions that are having no small impact on your quality of life.

It may be of some comfort to know that you’re in good company — about 10% of women deal with heavy and abnormal bleeding during their reproductive years.

If you’re tired of the constant battle to rein in your heavy bleeding and you aren’t planning on having children in the future, it may be time to consider an endometrial ablation.

At Bay Area Physicians for Women’s Health, our experienced and skilled team of board-certified OB/GYNs offer a wide range of in-house procedures, including endometrial ablation.

Defining heavy bleeding

Let’s first discuss what is commonly considered to be heavy bleeding, which typically has the following characteristics:

• Bleeding through tampons and pads every few hours
• Bleeding through tampons and pads during the night
• Periods that last longer than seven days
• Passing large clots (quarter-sized or larger)

Some women lose so much blood during their periods that they experience symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue and shortness of breath.

Behind the heavy bleeding

If you’re reading this, the odds are good that you’ve already tried to chase down the cause of your heavy bleeding. Some of the usual suspects when it comes to this common issue include:

• Endometriosis, which affect about 11% of women during their reproductive years
• Uterine fibroids and other benign growths in your uterus
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Carrying extra weight, which can create hormone imbalances
  
  

Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for heavy bleeding to be idiopathic, which means there's no identifiable cause.

Putting an end to heavy bleeding through endometrial ablation

If you’re looking for a more permanent solution for your heavy bleeding, then an endometrial ablation is something you might consider. This is a procedure in which we destroy the lining of your uterus (your endometrium), which should lighten your periods considerably, if not stop them altogether.

The good news is that it takes us only moments to perform an endometrial ablation. First, we get you comfortable on the treatment table, and then we insert a wand that has a net attached to the end.

We guide this wand into your uterus and then release the net so that it covers the inside walls. Once in place, we send a quick electrical current through the wire net, which ablates (destroys) the thin tissue that lines your uterus.

After your endometrial ablation , you’ll experience some cramping and vaginal discharge for a few days. Once these symptoms clear, you can move forward with much lighter, if not nonexistent, periods.

It’s important to note that an endometrial ablation puts an end to your ability to carry a pregnancy, but not necessarily your ability to get pregnant. So, you should continue with your birth control.

If you’d like to explore further whether an endometrial ablation is right for your heavy bleeding, simply contact our office in Mobile, Alabama, to schedule a consultation.