Menopause After Ablation

If a woman experiences heavy menstrual bleeding, treatments are available to lighten or stop the bleeding. Endometrial ablation is one option a doctor may recommend that does not cause the early onset of menopause.

Menopause

• Menopause occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, according to the National Institutes of Health. During menopause, a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs, and the levels of estrogen and progesterone in her body drop.

Endometrial Ablation

• During endometrial ablation, the endometrius, or thin lining of the uterus, is destroyed. A surgeon may use radiofrequency, freezing or heated fluid to perform the ablation.

Recovery

• After a woman undergoes endometrial ablation, her menstrual flow may stop completely. She may also experience far lighter menstrual bleeding, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Fertility

• Because endometrial ablation does not involve the removal of the uterus or the ovaries, it will not trigger menopause. The procedure does increase the risk of miscarriage, so the use of birth control is recommended until a woman reaches menopause.

Considerations

• Endometrial ablation is not a recommended treatment for women who are experiencing or who have experienced menopause.