Opening Patient Dialogues

The 2007 ACOG Practice Guidelines suggest that global endometrial ablation is an appropriate first-line treatment option for women who perceive their bleeding to be heavy.¹⁶

Currently, there are 10 million women in the U.S. between the ages of 35-49 are suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding.¹⁰ However, many women consider their heavy menstrual bleeding as normal, rather than a serious medical condition. Many are also embarrassed to discuss the discomfort and disruption it can cause. This may mean that patients need your help to discuss and understand that their condition can be easily treated.

Here are some simple questions to help patients who may not feel comfortable discussing their symptoms:

• Does your period affect your quality of life?
• Are your periods heavy or do they last a long time?
• Would your quality of life improve if you could decrease or potentially eliminate your heavy periods?
• Do your heavy periods affect your social, athletic or sexual activities or cause you to miss work?
• Do you change protection frequently or carry large quantities of feminine products and/or a change of clothes?
• Do your heavy periods cause anxiety, PMS, or pain?

It can also be very beneficial to review these questions with your office staff to help identify patients with heavy menstrual bleeding.

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