Patient education: Endometrial ablation (The Basics)

What is endometrial ablation? — This is a procedure that makes your period much lighter or stops it completely. It works by causing scarring in the inner lining of the uterus (figure 1).

Why might I get endometrial ablation? — Your doctor might recommend it if you have heavy periods that do not get better with other treatments.

Signs that you have a heavy period include:

●Having a period that lasts more than 8 days

●Having to change a pad or tampon every 1 or 2 hours

●Passing large lumps or clots of blood

Endometrial ablation might be an option if:

●Medicines have not helped make your periods lighter, or you cannot take medicines.

●You do not plan to try to get pregnant in the future.

●You have not gone through menopause (when you stop having monthly periods).

What happens during endometrial ablation? — Before the procedure, you will get medicines that block pain. You might also get medicines to make you unconscious so you can't feel, see, or hear anything during the procedure.

Doctors can do endometrial ablation in different ways. For most, the doctor puts a device into your vagina. Then, they pass it through your cervix into your uterus (figure 1). The device uses heat, cold, or a special kind of electrical energy to scar the lining of your uterus. All of these methods work equally well.

In rare cases, endometrial ablation can cause heavy bleeding or a hole in the uterus.

What happens after endometrial ablation? — You might have:

●Cramps for 1 to 3 days

●Light vaginal bleeding or pink vaginal discharge for 2 to 3 days

You will probably be able to do your normal activities 1 to 3 days after the procedure. Many people have irregular periods after endometrial ablation. After 2 to 3 months, most people have lighter periods. Some stop having periods completely.

In some cases, periods become heavy again over time, sometimes years after endometrial ablation. If this happens, your doctor might recommend treatment with another endometrial ablation or hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus).

What if I want to get pregnant? — Endometrial ablation is only recommended if you know that you do not want to get pregnant in the future. That's because scarring in the uterus can cause problems with a pregnancy.

However, it is still possible to get pregnant after endometrial ablation. So it's very important to use birth control if you have sex. Your doctor or nurse can talk to you about your options.

More on this topic

Patient education: Heavy periods (The Basics)
Patient education: Anesthesia (The Basics)
Patient education: Uterine fibroids (The Basics)
Patient education: Choosing birth control (The Basics)
Patient education: Hysteroscopy (The Basics)

Patient education: Heavy periods (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Abnormal uterine bleeding (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Uterine fibroids (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Birth control; which method is right for me? (Beyond the Basics)