Early Menopause for Hysterectomies
This is the first study I've been able to find on this subject.
There's been lots of info flying around about what happens to ovaries after hysterectomy if you keep them.
And finally someone's done an actual scientific study on the subject. Though the study group is not that large, I think it confirms a lot of anectdotal evidence and surveys that show that hysterectomy affects ovarian function in the long run.
The article does not detail the ages of the women and reasons for hysterectomy which I think might have something to do with ovarian function. I can only guess that a less invasive procedure would do less damage to the ovarian function. However, little is known even to this day about how the ovaries and uterus interact when a woman is not pregnant.
However, the article showed that only 21% of the women who'd had hysterectomies went into early menopause while 7% of the women who had not had a hysterectomy. Of course the women chosen for the control group had normal periods ... I'm not sure if my ovaries would have been very happy if I'd left my already 4 month uterus continue growing. The left one was already getting mushed out of position.
Anyway, it's clear that hysterectomy has long-ranging effects on overall health. Though early menopause confers lower risk for breast and ovarian cancer, it carries higher risk for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Uterine conservation may be as important as ovarian conservation for women at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Posted by Elizabeth M. on July 4, 2005 11:55 AM
