Hysterectomy is the most common non-pregnancy related major surgery performed on women in the United States. Approximately 600,000 women in this country will undergo the procedure. Surgical removal of the uterus, and frequently the ovaries, is widely accepted both by medical professionals and the public as appropriate treatment for uterine cancer, and for various common non-cancerous uterine conditions that can produce often disabling levels of pain, discomfort, uterine bleeding, emotional distress, and related symptoms.

Be sure to ask your doctor about all of these options. Ask how the procedure is planned (what method TAH, TVH, LAVH, LSH). Ask how many times your doctor has done these procedures and what the conversion rate is. Get all the information you can before you make such an important decision as this. Don't be afraid to get more than one opinion - it is your perfect right to do so. Be proactive and know all you can know to make the best decision for yourself. I feel it important to listen to the advice of the doctor as to which method he/she is most comfortable performing. I certainly would not insist on an LSH if my doctor preferred performing a TVH, or another method, however, it never hurts to ask why he/she chooses one method over the other as there is always a reason and it is contingent upon your particular symptoms, uterine size, and many other factors.

We have alternatives in front of us today so many women will be able to avoid a hysterectomy. Endometrial Ablation is an excellent alternative for many women with abnormal uterine bleeding. I also feel that if one does elect to have a hysterectomy, does her research, and tries alternatives first, she should not be made to feel inadequate for questioning the necessity of hysterectomy. It basically boils down to a quality of life issue for many women with abnormal uterine bleeding, among other reasons, and only you know how the quality of your life is. Hysterectomy is a very personal choice between a woman and her physician. Ask your doctor to present to you ALL of your treatment options, and to give you the pros and cons of each one.

If you are a woman in this position of trying to decide if a hysterectomy is the best choice for yourself, I completely relate as I have been down that path and I understand the frustration, high stress level, and emotional pain that goes into making this decision and I truly wish you the very best. ;)

Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Volume 40, No. 4, Dec. 1997.
An excellent collection of articles review the literature
and knowledge about hysterectomy.
Published by Lippincott-Raven at 1-800-638-3030.
Included is the following manuscript referenced in the text:
Johns, Alan: Supracervical Versus Total Hysterectomy,
Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, Volume 40, No. 4, Dec. 1997.