A new method for measuring menstrual blood loss and its use in screening women before endometrial ablation.

OBJECTIVE

1. To develop and validate a method for measuring menstrual blood loss in a routine setting, and 2. To assess the value of measuring menstrual blood loss before endometrial ablation.

DESIGN

A prospective, observational study.

SETTING

Four Yorkshire hospitals: The General Infirmary at Leeds, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, St. Luke's Hospital, Bradford and The Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.

PARTICIPANTS

Three hundred and seventy-two women who had been offered endometrial ablation for menorrhagia.

MEASUREMENT

Sanitary material was washed with a nonionic detergent in a known volume of water. The haemoglobin in a sample of solution was measured by mixing with sodium carbonate for spectrophotometric analysis.

INTERVENTIONS

The menstrual blood loss result was revealed to each women. Electrosurgical endometrial ablation was performed for those who decided to have surgery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Proportion of women with normal menstrual blood loss (< or = 80 mL) who avoided surgery. Comparison of endometrial ablation outcome in women with and without genuine menorrhagia.

RESULTS

Thirty-six women (10%) with normal menstrual blood loss who declined surgery continued to avoid surgery after a mean of 27 months. Two hundred and ninety-two women were followed up for one year after endometrial ablation. Those with genuine menorrhagia (n = 122) were less likely to be dissatisfied (9% vs 18%) (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-4.7) or to require hysterectomy (4% vs 7%) (OR 1.8, 95% CI 0.6-5.2) than women with normal menstrual blood loss (n = 170).

CONCLUSIONS

The objective diagnosis of menorrhagia can be undertaken in a routine setting and may provide some women, who have a normal menstrual blood loss, sufficient reassurance to refrain from surgery. Women with genuine menorrhagia have a better outcome after endometrial ablation than those with normal menstrual blood loss.