Should i get endometrial ablation or iud

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Tap the button to learn more about ObGFirst. Women who have heavy periods will typically lose about 5 to 6 tablespoons of blood in a single menstrual cycle. By contrast, women with average periods only lose about 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood during their period. It may be difficult to tell how much blood you lose during your period, and few women would be able to estimate the number of teaspoons or tablespoons of blood loss. There have been many research studies done to see if Mirena is an effective treatment for heavy periods.

Studies have compared it to oral medications and surgical procedures such as endometrial ablation a surgical procedure that removes the lining of the uterus and hysterectomy surgical removal of the uterus. Here is a summary of some of this research:.

Mirena can help treat heavy bleeding in two ways:. After the Mirena IUD is inserted, the progestin released helps to reduce the monthly thickening of your uterine lining. This makes the lining thinner, so there is less of it to shed off during your period, and this results in less bleeding. Mirena can reduce monthly bleeding in females with average or heavy periods.

Most females who use Mirena will experience a reduction in blood loss after 3 to 6 months of use. Some people fear that Mirena won't help early on, as they notice that they have more spotting rather than less.

It's important to point out that this initial spotting more days of spotting or irregular bleeding is normal after Mirena has been inserted, but usually decreases after a few months of use. Mirena can significantly reduce menstrual bleeding for the majority of people who have this IUD inserted. This may help with lifestyle issues and reduce the potential for anemia—and it is less invasive than a surgical procedure.

It also has the advantage of better preserving your fertility if you are considering having a child in the future. Any method of reducing menstrual bleeding can have side effects, and it's important to have a careful discussion with your healthcare provider about what is right for you. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

Mirena [package insert]. Gynecol Obstet Invest. Pregnancy might still be possible, but it will likely be hazardous and end in miscarriage. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Endometrial ablation is a procedure that surgically destroys ablates the lining of your uterus endometrium. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic.

Balloon ablation Open pop-up dialog box Close. Balloon ablation One type of endometrial ablation uses a thermal balloon filled with heated fluid to destroy the lining of the uterus endometrium. Radiofrequency ablation Open pop-up dialog box Close.

Radiofrequency ablation During radiofrequency ablation, your doctor uses a triangular ablation device which transmits radiofrequency energy and destroys the tissue lining the uterus endometrium. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Sharp HT. An overview of endometrial ablation. Accessed Aug. Sharp HT. Endometrial ablation: Non-resectoscopic techniques. Fergusson RJ, et al. Endometrial resection and ablation versus hysterectomy for heavy menstrual bleeding. So, let's go for it. About three days later, she woke up "moaning in pain" and told her husband she needed to go to the hospital.

Although she lives less than 15 minutes from the emergency room, by the time she arrived, she had no memory of what happened. She relies on her husband's memory instead. He told her about her blood pressure "bombing out," her sky-high heart rate, and being transferred to another hospital for an emergency hysterectomy.

She had sepsis severe enough to require a medically-induced coma. She went home 10 days later, but within a week began to feel sick again. Doctors found an abscess, which Ferrier opted to let drain on its own, but she was soon back at the hospital as she continued to get weak. Doctors gave her the strongest medicines they had and were even nervous to finally send her home in December in time for her youngest son's birthday.

Ferrier says she has lingering consequences from her ordeal. She can't read more than a short chapter of a book without losing focus.

She used to manage her family's finances, but now has trouble with math. She can't work because under any form of time pressure, "my mind goes blank. Ferrier does puzzles to try to improve her attention span, lifts weights and, during warmer weather, rides her bicycle to improve her strength.

It's difficult to assess individual consent discussions, but like Ferrier, other women interviewed by MedPage Today who suffered complications said they felt the risks were given short shrift by their physicians. She says many patients come to her with endometrial ablation failures. Louie rarely offers an ablation, but when she does, she says she's upfront about its risks and the likelihood that it's a temporary solution. She doesn't offer it to younger women, especially those in their 20s or 30s, because of concerns about failure and post-ablation syndrome.

She counsels them about the "high likelihood that they will require another procedure when endometrial ablation has reached the end of its effectiveness. For example, she might recommend it to a patient who has young kids and can't commit to a hysterectomy now, but may be able to have the surgery a few years down the line.

Or if a patient with a history of tubal ligation really wants endometrial ablation, she'll discuss the possibility of post-ablation tubal sterilization syndrome.