Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staff
Hysterectomy may be needed if you have one of the following conditions:
- Gynecologic cancer. If you have a gynecologic cancer — such as cancer of the uterus or cervix — a hysterectomy may be your best treatment option. Depending on the specific cancer you have and how advanced it is, your other options might include radiation or chemotherapy.
- Fibroids. Hysterectomy is the only certain, permanent solution for fibroids — benign uterine tumors that often cause persistent bleeding, anemia, pelvic pain or bladder pressure. Nonsurgical treatments of fibroids are a possibility, depending on your discomfort level and tumor size. Many women with fibroids have minimal symptoms and require no treatment.
- Endometriosis. In endometriosis, the tissue lining the inside of your uterus (endometrium) grows outside the uterus on your ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other pelvic or abdominal organs. When medication or conservative surgery doesn't improve endometriosis, you might need a hysterectomy along with removal of your ovaries and fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy).
- Uterine prolapse. Descent of the uterus into your vagina can happen when the supporting ligaments and tissues weaken. Uterine prolapse can lead to urinary incontinence, pelvic pressure or difficulty with bowel movements. Hysterectomy may be necessary to achieve satisfactory repair of these conditions.
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding. If your periods are heavy, irregular or prolonged each cycle, a hysterectomy may bring relief when the bleeding can't be controlled by other methods.
- Chronic pelvic pain. Occasionally, surgery is a necessary last resort for women who experience chronic pelvic pain that clearly arises in the uterus. However, hysterectomy provides no relief from many forms of pelvic pain, and an unnecessary hysterectomy may create new problems. Seek careful evaluation before proceeding with such major surgery.
Hysterectomy ends your ability to become pregnant. If you think you might want to become pregnant, ask your doctor about alternatives to this surgery. In the case of cancer, hysterectomy might be the only option. But for other conditions — including fibroids, endometriosis and uterine prolapse — you may be able to try less invasive treatments first.
During hysterectomy surgery, your surgeon might also perform a related procedure that removes both of your ovaries and your fallopian tubes (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). You and your doctor should discuss ahead of time whether you need this procedure.
References
- Stovall TG, et al. Abdominal hysterectomy. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 6, 2012.
- Hoffman BL, et al. Williams Gynecology. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=768. Accessed Nov. 6, 2012.
- Falcone T, et al. Overview of hysterectomy. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 12, 2012.
- Frequently asked questions. Special procedures FAQ008. Hysterectomy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq008.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20121106T1337303494. Accessed Nov. 12, 2012.
- Hysterectomy fact sheet. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/hysterectomy.cfm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2012.
- About hysterectomy: Surgical removal of the uterus, or womb. American College of Surgeons. http://www.facs.org/public_info/operation/brochures/hysterectomy.pdf. Accessed Nov. 12, 2012.
- Nieboer TE, et al. Surgical approach to hysterectomy for benign gynaecological disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003677.pub4/abstract. Accessed Nov. 13, 2012.
- Bakkum-Gamez JN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 27, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on