How you prepare

In the weeks before the procedure, your doctor might:

• Perform a pregnancy check. Endometrial ablation can't be done if you're pregnant.
• Check for cancer. A thin tube (catheter) is inserted through your cervix to obtain a small sample of your endometrium to be tested for cancer.
• Remove an IUD. Endometrial ablation isn't performed with an IUD in place.
• Thin your endometrium. Some types of endometrial ablation are more successful when the uterine lining is thin. Your doctor might prescribe medications or perform a dilation and curettage (D&C), a procedure in which the doctor scrapes out the extra tissue.
• Discuss anesthesia options. Some methods of endometrial ablation require general anesthesia, so you're asleep during the procedure. Other types of endometrial ablation might be performed with conscious sedation or with numbing shots into your cervix and uterus.