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Are minor procedures an option for me?

Minor procedures can take anywhere from 4 to 45 minutes and do not require a hospital stay. No cuts are made and, depending on the procedure used, patients can recover within a few hours or days. Below is a list of procedures you may want to discuss with your doctor.

Dilation and Curettage

In this procedure, the top layer of the uterus lining is scraped away. The procedure is mostly used for determining the cause of heavy bleeding, not as a treatment. It may lighten your period but only for a couple of cycles.

If you do not plan on having children in the future, you may want to consider the procedures below.

Endometrial Ablation

In this procedure, the doctor removes the lining of the uterus (the uterus itself is not removed). Methods include the use of heat, extreme cold, energy, or laser. Your periods will be a lot lighter or may stop altogether.

Some of these procedures can be performed at any time during the menstrual cycle. Some methods take 30-60 minutes. Until recently, all procedures required a pre-treatment drug to prepare the uterine lining. The pre-treatment drug must be started a few weeks before the procedure.

One of the latest advances in treatment for heavy periods does not require a pre-treatment drug. The NovaSure^® procedure includes a treatment that lasts about 90 seconds. It only needs to be performed once to lighten or stop your periods. Because this is a minor procedure, recovery is quick. Many women can return to work the day following the procedure. It is safer and less expensive than a hysterectomy.

Risks of endometrial ablation include infection, bleeding and perforations (a false opening in the wall of the uterus or a cut). Getting pregnant is less likely but not impossible. Ask your doctor whether you should use birth control after having this procedure.