What happens during a hysteroscopy?
A hysteroscopy is often done in a hospital or outpatient surgery center. The procedure usually includes the following steps:
You will remove your clothing and put on a hospital gown.
You will lie on your back on an exam table with your feet in stirrups.
An intravenous (IV) line may be put in your arm or hand.
You may be given a sedative, a type of medicine to help you relax and block the pain. Some women may be given general anesthesia. General anesthesia is a medicine that will make you unconscious during the procedure. A specially trained doctor called an anesthesiologist will give you this medicine.
Your vaginal area will be cleaned with a special soap.
Your provider will insert a tool called a speculum into your vagina. It is used to spread open your vaginal walls.
Your provider will then insert the hysteroscope into the vagina and move it through your cervix and into your uterus.
Your provider will inject a liquid or gas through the hysteroscope and into your uterus. This helps expand the uterus so your provider can get a better view.
Your provider will be able to see images of the uterus on a video screen.
Your provider may take a sample of tissue for testing (biopsy).
If you are having a uterine growth removed or another uterine treatment, your provider will insert tools through the hysteroscope to perform the treatment.
A hysteroscopy may take 15 minutes to an hour, depending on what was done during the procedure. The medicines you were given may make you drowsy for a while. You should arrange for someone to drive you home after the procedure.
