Treatment Options for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

There are several ways to treat heavy menstrual bleeding, including hormone therapy, hormone-releasing IUD, dilation & curettage (D&C) and hysterectomy. Some patients are better suited for certain treatment options than others. To determine what the best treatment option for your patient may be, please review the chart below.

	NovaSure® Endometrial Ablation	Hormone Releasing IUD	Hormone Therapy	D&C (Dilation and Curettage)	Hysterectomy (Removal of the Uterus)
Description	Simple, safe procedure that removes uterine lining while preserving the uterus to reduce or eliminate bleeding	Device inserted into the uterus that releases a steady amount of progestins, which can help control bleeding	Estrogen/ progestin used for select low-risk patients	Surgical procedure used to temporarily control heavy bleeding by scraping the inside of the uterus	Permanent, surgical option for women not responsive to other treatments
Advantages	For 90% of women, menstrual bleeding is dramatically reduced or stopped One-time, five-minute procedure Can be done in your doctor's office, usually for the cost of a copay Rapid recovery	Reduces problem bleeding in about 70% of patients17 Contraceptive Effective for 5 years Retain fertility (when IUD is removed)	Reduces problem bleeding in about half of patients21 Self-administered Contraceptive Retain fertility (when therapy is stopped)	Diagnostic tool that can provide tissue sample to test for cancer of the uterus Retain fertility	Eliminates problem bleeding One-time procedure
Disadvantages	Only appropriate for women who have completed childbearing Requires anesthesia: local or general Non-reversible - lose fertility Risk of complications associated with minimally invasive procedures	Must be removed and replaced every 5 years 70% of women experience intermenstrual bleeding/spotting18 30% of women experience hormonal side effects18 Hormonal side effects may include: depression19, acne19, headaches19, nausea19, weight gain19, and hair loss20 Other potential side effects include abdominal pain, infection, and difficulty inserting the device, requiring cervical dilation17	Hormonal side effects may include: nausea, headaches and weight gain21 Results may vary depending on hormone22	Requires anesthesia Reduction in bleeding is temporary23 Risk of complications associated with minimally invasive procedure	Cost Involves major invasive surgery Risk of complications associated with major surgery Requires general or regional anesthesia 2 to 8-week recovery time May result in early onset of menopause/ possible need for future hormone treatment24 Non-reversible - lose fertility

Download the Treatment Options Chart to review with patients currently suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding.

To view the Treatment Options Chart you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader®, which can be downloaded for free.

NovaSure³ offers clear technology advantages over other global endometrial ablation modalities.

	NovaSure®	ThermaChoice III®25	HTA®26	HerOption®27
Average treatment time	90 seconds	8 minutes	10 minutes	10-34 minutes
Average procedure time	4.2 minutes	27.4 minutes	26.4 minutes	N/A
Pretreatment required	No	Yes	Yes - Lupron Depot®	Yes - Lupron Depot®
Cycle dependent	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mechanism of Action	Impedance-controlled, radiofrequency ablation	Balloon filled with heated fluid	Circulating heated saline	Cryotherapy (freezing) prove
Procedural Distension	No	Yes (160-180 mmHg pressure)	Yes (50-55 mmHg pressure)	No
Perforation Detection	Cavity integrity system (Pre-procedure)	Pressure shut off (During procedure)	Fluid alarm (During procedure)	Ultrasound for monitoring (During procedure)

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