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What is menorrhagia?
Menorrhagia is excessive menstrual bleeding. If your bleeding
lasts seven or more days per cycle, or is so excessive that you
need to change protection nearly every hour, you may have menorrhagia.
Only your doctor can tell you for sure.
Women suffering from menorrhagia can experience fatigue, anemia, embarrassing
accidents, and restricted activity. If you're familiar with these effects,
you know that menorrhagia can disrupt your life.
And you are not alone. About 1 in 5 women experience unusually heavy menstrual
bleeding. And there are now more treatment options available to you.
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What are the treatment options?
Drug therapy is typically the first treatment option,
consisting of oral contraceptives or other hormones that treat
hormonal imbalances. This therapy is effective only about 50% of
the time, and usually must be continued in order to remain effective.
Some women experience undesirable side effects, including headaches,
weight change, and nausea.
Dilation and curettage (D & C) is frequently the
second option if drug therapy is ineffective. It is a common
surgical procedure that involves scraping of the inside of the
uterus. However, for the majority of women with menorrhagia,
it's only a temporary solution that reduces bleeding for a few
cycles.
Endometrial ablation–If you do not plan to have
any more children, your doctor may suggest minimally invasive
surgical treatment options. Several methods are currently available:
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What is the NovaSure® System?
The NovaSure System provides an effective and minimally invasive
outpatient alternative to hysterectomy, while avoiding the potential
side effects and long-term risks of drug therapy. The patented
NovaSure System is a next-generation endometrial ablation device
that delivers precisely measured electrical energy via a slender,
hand-held device to remove the endometrial lining.
This quick, simple procedure requires no incisions, can be performed in an
office or outpatient setting, and generally takes less than five minutes to
perform. This is significantly shorter than any other endometrial ablation
procedure.
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What can I expect with the NovaSure® procedure?
Most women will see a significant reduction in the level of their
menstrual bleeding. In randomized, controlled clinical studies
of the NovaSure System, a majority of patients returning for follow-up
at 12 months had their bleeding reduced to light or moderate periods,
and many reported that their bleeding had stopped completely. Many
women may also experience the added benefits of a significant reduction
in painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), as well as a meaningful
reduction in PMS symptoms.
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Am I a candidate for the NovaSure® procedure?
Pre-menopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding who have completed
childbearing may be candidates for the NovaSure procedure. Your
physician may perform diagnostic tests to rule out other abnormal
uterine conditions, and your Pap test and biopsy must be normal.
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What will I feel during the NovaSure® procedure?
Many doctors choose for their patients to be awake during the
procedure, as the NovaSure procedure does not require general anesthesia.
When your physician is able to perform the procedure with a local
anesthetic injected in and around the cervix, he or she may administer
an intravenous sedative to make you more comfortable during the
procedure. While some women may feel slight, menstrual-like cramping,
some may not experience any discomfort at all during the procedure.
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Are women satisfied with the results of
the NovaSure® procedure?
Excellent results have led to very high satisfaction rates among
patients treated with the NovaSure System. According to results
of a patient satisfaction survey, over 92% of patients treated
with the NovaSure System were satisfied or very satisfied with
the procedure 12 months after treatment, and 95% indicated that
they would recommend the NovaSure procedure to a friend.
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Can I still become pregnant after endometrial
ablation?
It is important to know that although the chances for pregnancy
are reduced following an endometrial ablation procedure, it is
still possible to become pregnant.
However, pregnancy following endometrial ablation is very dangerous for both
the mother and the fetus. You should not have the NovaSure procedure if you
think you want to have a baby in the future.
You should use some form of birth control if you decide to have endometrial
ablation. Please discuss these options with your physician.
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