Overview
An endometrial biopsy is a way for your medical provider to take a small sample of the lining of the uterus (endometrium). The sample is looked at under a microscope by a pathologist for abnormal cells.
An endometrial biopsy helps your medical provider find problems in the endometrium. It also lets your medical provider check to see if your body’s hormone levels that affect the endometrium are in balance.
The lining of the uterus changes throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle. Early in the menstrual cycle, the lining grows thicker until a mature egg is released from an ovary (ovulation). If the egg is not fertilized by a sperm, the lining is shed during normal menstrual bleeding.
Your medical provider will use a soft, strawlike device (pipette) to suction a small sample of lining from the uterus.
Why It Is Done
An endometrial biopsy is done to:
- Check for cancer of the uterus. For example, an endometrial biopsy may be done to help determine the cause of some abnormal Pap test results.
- Find the cause of heavy, prolonged, or irregular uterine bleeding. It is often done to find the cause of uterine bleeding in women who have gone through menopause.
- See whether the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is going through the normal menstrual cycle changes.
How To Prepare
Tell your medical provider if you:
- Are or might be pregnant. An endometrial biopsy is not done during pregnancy.
- Are taking any medicines.
- Are allergic to any medicines.
- Have had bleeding problems or take blood-thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin).
- Have been treated for a vaginal, cervical, or pelvic infection.
Do not douche, use tampons, or use vaginal medicines for 24 hours before the biopsy. You will empty your bladder just before your biopsy.
You may want to take a pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), 30 to 60 minutes before having the biopsy. This can help decrease any cramping pain that can be caused by the biopsy.
You will need to sign a consent form that says you understand the risks of an endometrial biopsy and agree to have the test done. Talk to your medical provider about any concerns you have regarding the need for the test, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results may mean.
How It Is Done
An endometrial biopsy is usually done by a gynecologist or a nurse practitioner who has been trained to do the test. The sample will be looked at by a pathologist. The biopsy can be done in your medical provider’s office.
You will need to undress from the waist down. You will be given a covering to drape around your waist. You will then lie on your back on an examination table with your feet raised and supported by foot rests (stirrups).
Your medical provider will put an instrument with smooth, curved blades (speculum) into your vagina. The speculum gently spreads apart the vaginal walls so your medical provider can see inside the vagina and the cervix. The cervix is cleaned with a special solution to decrease the risk of infection and may be grasped and held in place with a clamp called a tenaculum.
The tool to collect the sample is guided through the cervix into the uterus. The tool may be moved up and down to collect the sample. Most women have some cramping during the biopsy.
An endometrial biopsy takes 5 to 15 minutes.