A Simple Cure: Gynelogical Procedure Offers Relief for Women

NORTHAMPTON – Heavy menstrual bleeding is not the kind of thing that women sufferers often talk about freely, and so many don’t know there is a safe and simple cure called endometrial ablation.

Dr. Diane Amsterdam, a Cooley Dickinson Hospital affiliated gynecologist says that for at least five years now, she and other area gynecologists have been performing the low-risk procedure, in which the lining of the uterus is destroyed by either using a hot water balloon or heat applied through a special device. “It is the uterine lining (endometrium) that sheds with each menstrual period,” explains Amsterdam, a gynecologist who practices at WomanCare Ob/Gyn in Hadley. “By scarring this layer, there is less build up of the lining, and thus, most women have much lighter periods or even no periods.”

Ablation is an excellent option for those women who have finished childbearing and who have contemplated major surgery for menstrual problems. The risks of ablation are much lower than surgery and recuperation is generally only a day or two. The procedure, which takes just a few minutes, is done at Cooley Dickinson Hospital under either IV sedation or mask anesthesia.

After the ablation, women can expect a few days of cramping. For women who have had to plan their leisure time around their menses, or whose periods have led to anemia, fatigue, loss of work or excessive cramping, the results can be life changing.

“Many women who have had the procedure say, ‘It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Why didn’t I do it sooner?’” says Amsterdam. “Some of my patients are so thrilled with their results that they have volunteered to talk to other women about the procedure.”

Ablation is no longer a new procedure and Amsterdam often performs several ablations a week. She says that although the procedure is only for those women who no longer plan to conceive, it cannot be used as a method of contraception.

Amsterdam recommends that women interested in the procedure talk about it with their gynecologist; women who don’t have a gynecologist can make an appointment with her at WomanCare, by calling (413) 586-2022.