- Heavy or long periods
- Periods that don’t come at the same time every month
- No periods
- Bleeding after menopause
- Bleeding after taking a breast cancer drug called tamoxifen
- A thickened uterine lining
This procedure can help your doctor determine what may be wrong and the best way to proceed. It can also give you an endometrial cancer diagnosis that may have been missed by TVUS.
Although this procedure doesn’t require anesthesia, your doctor may recommend you take an over-the-counter pain reliever 30 minutes before your appointment. During the 10 to 15 minute procedure, you will lay on the exam table with your feet resting in stirrups, just like you would for a Pap smear. Your doctor will enter a speculum into your vagina, which is used to hold it open during the procedure.
Once your doctor cleans your cervix, a very thin, flexible tool will be used to gently suction out a tissue sample from the lining (endometrium) of your uterus. Your results will be sent to the lab, looked at under a microscope and tested for abnormal cells like cancer.
The biopsy is completely safe, although it is common to experience light spotting and cramping after the procedure. Your doctor may prescribe you over-the-counter pain relievers. Keep in mind that some aspirin may cause you to bleed more.
You should be able to return to your normal routine as soon as you feel up to it, but refrain from sex until the bleeding stops.
What do the lab results mean?
Your lab results should return in about a week and determine the cause of your abnormal bleeding:
- Polyps or fibroids (small or large growths in your uterus)
- An infection of your uterus, like endometritis
- Endometrial cancer
- A thyroid problem
- Hormonal imbalances