A hysterectomy will sometimes become necessary for the following women’s health conditions:
- Adenomyosis – caused by the lining of the womb/uterus growing in the muscles of the womb (called the myometrium)
- Endometriosis caused by tissues that normally form inside the uterus forming outside the uterus in the abdominal cavity.
- Fibroids which cause pain, bleeding or are very large. A fibroid is a non-cancerous growth of muscle and fibrous tissue. cancer of the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tube/s or cervix
- Gynaecological cancer
- Heavy Bleeding – Menorrhagia or bleeding that is very irregular or very painful
- Medical Emergencies – Emergencies such as rupture/puncture of the womb during other surgery.
- Childbirth may lead to uncontrollable bleeding (post-partum haemorrhage) which may be impossible to stop. In these cases hysterectomy is a life saver.
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) or adhesion’s which cause pain that is not controlled by other means
- Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Prophylactic Surgery
A hysterectomy may be recommended if none of the initial treatments for these conditions has been successful. When you will actually have the hysterectomy will depend on why you need it. Some of the conditions may clear up on their own or after you have had a d&c operation (dilation and curettage where the lining of the uterus is scraped away and if necessary examined).
You do need to be absolutely sure that you know what the operation will mean for you in the long term and that may mean that you decide that you can live with your condition if, for instance, you would like to have children at a later stage.
The Pocket Guide to Hysterectomy – £5.50 from The Hysterectomy Association. This is essential reading and tell you everything you need to know about hysterectomy, it documents everything on the website, plus additional information not available elsewhere.