Psycho-social problems of women who had undergone hysterectomy

Any kind of surgical intervention or treatment will bring with it anxiety for mostwomen. It often brigs fear of death or disability. In addition to the fears andconcerns related to undergoing any kind of treatment, treatment to thereproductive organs involves unique issues because the role these organs play in awomen’s sexuality adds significance to them. Any treatment, which may later onremove these organs, is seen as a threat to a woman’s femininity, and manywomen are concerned that the treatment will disrupt their sexual functioning. Insome instances this may be true, but many concerns are unfounded and can berelieved with adequate intervention. (Miss Rutter, senior nurse tutor, Chelseahospital for women, London; inter menstrual bleeding)OOPHERECTOMY AT HYSTERECTOMY:Removal of ovaries, which are normal at the time of surgery, is calledooperectomy. Abdominal hysterectomy is usually performed either with or withoutoopherectomy. Ovarian preservation depends on women’s age, her family, medicalhistory, attitude towards prophylactic oopherectomy and future complications ofhormone replacement therapy. (Zalel Y, Lurie S, Beyth Y, Goldberger S, TepperR). The dilemma over whether to remove or conserve ovaries at the time ofhysterectomy has been debated, with varying degrees of passion, over more than100 years. Removing apparently normal ovaries at the time of hysterectomy mayhave a number of advantages. It may eliminate the possibility of subsequentovarian malignancy, residual ovarian syndrome, benign ovarian cysts and abolishovarian cycle syndrome in women with premenstrual syndrome. ( Studd J)Oopherectomy can be prophylactic or therapeutic. Prophylactic oopherctomy isthe procedure where the removal of normal looking ovaries is done for futurebenefit of preventing long-term morbidity and mortality, especially ovarian cancer.It is found those elective oopherectomy rates between 50 and 66% in women 40-64 years of age undergoing hysterectomy (Dicker. RC., Scally. MJ, Greenspan.JR., Layde. PM., Ory. HW, Maze. JM). In USA one in 70 women develop ovarian