Am I a Candidate for Uterine Lining Removal?

Approximately 14% of women in their childbearing years suffer from painful, irregular, and/or heavy periods each month, and up to 40% of women report period symptoms that prevent them from functioning normally. 

If you find yourself among these women whose lives have been disrupted by abnormal menstrual cycles, the good news is that there’s a solution — endometrial ablation.

At Tahoe Women’s Care, Dr. Gary Willen and our team understand the myriad problems that women face when it comes to abnormal menstruation. To take back control of your life, we offer several solutions, including NovaSure®, which has helped scores of women find much-needed relief.

Here’s a look at whether you may be a good candidate for uterine lining removal with NovaSure.

Defining abnormal periods

When we use the term “abnormal” to describe menstruation, this encompasses a wide range of problems, including:

• Heavy bleeding
• Prolonged bleeding (more than seven days)
• Bleeding between periods
• Anemia

To better control your monthly cycles, we can approach the problem using hormonal therapies, which regulate your ovulation and can reduce the duration and heaviness of your periods. If this approach proves ineffective, an endometrial ablation may provide the best solution.

Removing your uterine lining

An endometrial ablation is a technique we use to remove the lining of your uterus, which is called the endometrium. This lining thickens with each cycle to prepare for a fertilized egg and when none appears, it sheds out through your menstrual cycle. Our goal with endometrial ablation is to remove the lining, which should put an end to your abnormal periods. 

Please note that this procedure also puts an end to your ability to safely get pregnant, so you should only choose this treatment if you’re sure you don’t want to have any (more) children. As well, you will still need to use birth control to prevent the off chance that you do get pregnant again, which isn’t considered safe without your endometrium intact.

To remove your uterine lining, we use an innovative technology called NovaSure, which is a nonhormonal, 5-minute procedure.

To begin your NovaSure procedure, we dilate your cervix and insert a wand into your uterus. We then release a triangle-shaped “net” into your uterus that expands to cover your uterine walls. 

Once it’s in position, we send radiofrequency energy through the net for 90 seconds, which ablates your endometrium. After we’re finished, we simply remove the device, and you’re free to return home.

For the next couple of days after your NovaSure treatment, you may experience some cramping, spotting, and discharge. Once these symptoms subside, you can get back to your normal activities, although we advise against intercourse or tampon use for 30 days after your endometrial ablation.

As for results, many of our patients report much lighter periods, and some even cease their periods altogether.

If you’d like to put an end to painful and heavy periods with NovaSure, please contact our office in Carson City, Nevada, to learn more about whether you’re a good candidate.