Endometrial Ablation Long-Term Prognosis

Endometrial ablation provides women who are suffering with heavy bleeding an alternative to hysterectomy. The procedure removes or destroys the lining of the uterus also known as the endometrium. Ablation allows women to keep their reproductive organs intact.

Candidates

• Women who experience pelvic pain or have a pre-malignancy or malignancy of the uterus should not undergo this procedure. However, women tired of fighting abnormally heavy menstrual periods are great candidates for ablation.

Periods After Ablation

• Only a hysterectomy can guarantee the total absence of periods, but endometrial ablation will dramatically reduce bleeding, and in most cases, prevent periods altogether.

Fertility After Ablation

• Women still interested in having children should refrain from having an endometrial ablation. Once the uterine lining is destroyed; a woman loses her fertility.

Hysterectomy

• Although ablation can lesson the effects of heavy menstrual periods, a hysterectomy completely alleviates uncomfortable cramping, bleeding, worry over cervical and endometrial cancers and eliminates the need to for progestin and estrogen.

Prognosis

• Endometrial ablation provides effective relief of heavy menstrual bleeding. Success rates may, however, decline over time as the uterine lining rebuilds itself.