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JEFFERSON CITY -- The following article was written by KRCG's Teresa Snow and is featured in Jefferson City Magazine, which is on stands now

For ages men and women have joked about “that time of the month,” but now a new procedure can eliminate that time for women.

NovaSure is a solution for heavy menstrual bleeding. Dr. Robert Ferris, a gynecologist who practices with the Jefferson City Medical Group, says this in-office procedure is for women who are done having children. After the procedure, most will also be done with their monthly menstrual cycle.

Susan McKinney of Holts Summit had the procedure in May. She heard about it from co-workers who were happy with the results. She didn't consider NovaSure until she was turned away as a blood donor; McKinney has given blood on a regular basis for almost 30 years.

“I have given close to 9 gallons,” she says.

But when she couldn't donate because of low iron levels, she considered her age of 47 and her menstrual cycle as causes of her anemia.

“I'm pretty active, and my energy level was dropping,” McKinney says. “Since the procedure, my energy level has been boosted up to where it used to be.”

The procedure is especially helpful for women who suffer from menorrhagia, or heavy bleeding. The monthly blood loss can lead to anemia and fatigue like McKinney experienced, but can also be a huge inconvenience to women. Some women who suffer from menorrhagia have to change feminine protection nearly every hour. The makers of NovaSure say it has other benefits as well, such as reducing the pain that often comes with the monthly cycle and reducing PMS.

Ferris says 95 percent of women who have NovaSure are happy with the results, even though not all women will see their periods eliminated. Ferris cites statistics that show 50 percent of women will have no more bleeding, and 48 percent will have just light, scant periods.

Patients are put under a local anesthesia during the NovaSure procedure, and the doctor inserts a thin wand into the dilated cervix. Then, a triangular mesh device expands to the walls of the uterine cavity. After that, the heat is turned on. Radiofrequency energy burns away the lining of the uterus for about 90 seconds.

“It sounds bad,” Ferris says, “but it's the type of burn that's not felt.”

The procedure is permanent. Dr. Ferris also calls it very safe because there are fewer risks with this minimally invasive procedure than the surgical alternatives.

Many women who chose a dilation and curettage and those who have a hysterectomy will need general anesthesia.

The main side effect of NovaSure is that patients might feel cramping during the heating process. They can leave the office afterwards, but for the next few hours Ferris recommends patients rest and use an over-the-counter pain reliever or heating pad if the cramps persist.

McKinney says her experience was similar. She credits the information she received from the office staff to help her know what to expect. McKinney felt immediate cramping during the procedure and took a pain reliever and a nap afterward.

“Three hours later, I never would have known I had the procedure done,” McKinney says.

Now, months later, McKinney's monthly periods are only a memory.