Overview

Restore your life. You can be free of heavy bleeding.

Do you frequently have heavy periods that last more than five to seven days? Does heavy bleeding keep you from enjoying your life to the fullest? If so, you’re not alone – and there are treatment options available to you.

One in five women in the United States suffers from the awkwardness heavy bleeding can cause. While it is not a life-threatening condition, heavy bleeding can certainly disrupt a woman’s quality of life. At times, the condition can stop women from engaging in what is important to them — from social activities to their children’s school functions. Excessive bleeding, also called menorrhagia, can be caused by polyps or fibroids in the uterus or enzyme deficiencies.

There are multiple causes of heavy bleeding, including:

• A hormone imbalance during adolescence or menopause. Women often experience fluctuating hormone levels before adolescence and at the onset of menopause that may cause excessive bleeding during menstruation.
• Uterine fibroid tumors. These non-cancerous tumors are another very common cause of excessive menstruation that often occur in the uterus of women during their thirties or forties.
• Cervical polyps. Small, fragile growths in the cervix can cause excessive bleeding.
• Endometrial polyps. These polyps are typically non-cancerous growths that in the lining of the uterus that cause excessive bleeding.

Read More:
Menstrual Madness, by Laurie Landeen, MD, FACOG 

Services

Until recently there were only two types of treatments for heavy bleeding: hormonal treatments or surgery, often a hysterectomy. Today, thanks to advances in surgical technology, there are less invasive options including the Mirena® IUD and endometrial ablation. If you are suffering from frequent, heavy bleeding talk to your doctor to learn what treatment options are best for you

The Mirena® IUD Reduces Bleeding and Provides Birth Control
The Mirena® IUD is most often used for reversible long-term birth control, but is also a suitable treatment for heavy bleeding. It works by thinning out the uterine lining which results in very light or no bleeding. Mirena® can be used to reduce menstrual flow even if a woman does not need it for birth control. It can be placed right in the office without any anesthesia.

Endometrial Ablation is a Non-Invasive Alternative to Surgery
An endometrial ablation can be used for women who need surgical treatment but want to avoid a hysterectomy. The procedure eliminates the lining of the uterus using thermal energy. It requires no incision and can be performed in an office or as outpatient surgery. It also has high rates of effectiveness and over 90% patient satisfaction.

The first ablations were done in the early 1980’s and many new generations of devices have come into the market over the last decade. The most widely used device is called Novasure®. It is an intrauterine mesh system with the shortest ablation treatment time of approximately 90 seconds. Clinical trials for Novasure® confirm a success rate of 91% and a patient satisfaction rate of 90%.

Is endometrial ablation an option for you? If the following statements ring true, you may be a possible candidate:

• You have excessive uterine bleeding
• Your non-surgical treatment has been unsuccessful
• You are not currently pregnant and do not desire a future pregnancy
• You have no current pelvic infection
• You have no known or suspected endometrial cancer

Providers

	Ashley B. Briggs, MD
	Shelley J. Cole, MD
	Zane Craig, DO
	Kristin Hermanson, MD
	Meredith Kemper, MD
	Jeanne Hassebroek-Johnson, MD
	Laurie B. Landeen, MD
	Thomas L. Looby, MD
	Dean L. Madison, MD
	Anthony Sierra, MD
	Allison Wierda Suttle, MD

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