Advantages And Disadvantages Of Removing Uterus | What is Hysterectomy or Removal of Uterus?, Benefits, Side Effects, Types

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Removing Uterus: The uterus is the part of a female reproductive system. It is the main important organ where the baby grows. Every month the inner lining of the uterus called the endometrium sheds out and this process is called menstruation. The process of removal of the uterus is called Hysterectomy. After performing the surgery and removing the uterus, the lady becomes incapable of conceiving or menstruating.  In a Hysterectomy, the cervix is most likely to get removed and if required then surrounding organs too depending on the conditions and reasons. The reason for removing the uterus can be anything. It could be some disease or ailment in the uterus, chronic pain and infections.

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What is Hysterectomy or Removal of Uterus? Advantages and Disadvantages of Removing Uterus

Removal of the uterus from the body is known as hysterectomy. It is done to eliminate the symptoms caused by medical conditions affecting the uterus. However, if not urgent and important, one should avoid the surgery, as it has high risk chances and side effects. Removing uterus to cut down or avoid any medical complication is one of the most common procedures. However, where on one hand this is considered to be of a high risk, at times it becomes quite necessary under certain medical circumstances. It could be heavy bleeding during the periods, pelvic inflammatory diseases; endometriosis, fibroids, prolapse of uterus or it may be a cancer too. It is a surgical method by which the uterus is removed from the body by the laceration in the lower abdomen. This removal of the uterus can be done by a cut in vagina or by a laparoscopic surgery.

Hysterectomy is of two types-

  1. Partial Hysterectomy-In this only the uterus is removed from the body, without disturbing the cervix
  2. Total Hysterectomy- In this, both the uterus and the cervix are removed from the body.
  3. Salpingo-Oophorectomy- In this, either of the two ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed along with the uterus. It

The Hysterectomy or removing uterus is recommended or chosen, if

  1. One has a large uterus
  2. Chronic pelvic pain
  3. Uterus or cervix cancer
  4. Unmanageable fibroids
  5. Uterine bleeding

Advantages And Disadvantages of removing uterus

Advantages of Removing Uterus

  1. Quality of life- Because of some unavoidable conditions only, a woman decides to undergo the surgery for the removing uterus. So first of all the best advantage is that it will improve the quality of life.
  2. Reduced chronic pain- Next comes the deadly or extreme painful diseases, like fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, abnormal periods, then in such cases the hysterectomy can help reduce chronic pain.
  3. Heavy bleeding problem- Women facing issues like untimely or heavy bleeding during the periods or even after menopause also undergo the surgery and get rid of it.
  4. Cancer- Cancer has always been a big major concern, no matter which part of the body. If a woman has cervical cancer, then removing the uterus is the best option, for the treatment and recovery plan.
  5. Uterus prolapse-Sometimes it happens that the uterus gets displaced and slips into vagina, this condition is called as prolapse and occurs when a woman gives birth multiple times. This condition created stress in the bowel and bladder which can be reduced by the hysterectomy only.
  6. Pelvic pain- Removing uterus can help to live more conveniently, especially when you suffer from persistent pelvic pain or. If you are at higher risk for uterine cancer, a hysterectomy can reduce this risk and potentially save your life.
  7. Hysterectomy over Myomectomy- Researchers have been made and the result was derived as a comparison between the women who had a hysterectomy to treat their discomfort with fibroids with women who chose myomectomy. And they found that symptoms were reduced the most in women who chose to have a hysterectomy.
  8. Improved mental health- Removing the uterus has got a direct connection with the moods and mental health. According to a study, the measured levels of depression and anxiety in a woman before and after 6 and 12 months of hysterectomy found that all the women showed improved mental health after the surgery.
  9. Doctor’s advice- doctors are always there to provide the best of their knowledge and experience, hence, always make a habit of talking with your doctor about the advantages of removing the uterus to improve the quality of life.

Disadvantages of Removing Uterus

  1. Post-surgical mental health- Studies have told that age plays a very important role in all the surgeries being done, most in terms of the post-surgical mental health. The young women are even more prone to the mental suffering, depression, stress and anxiety after removing the uterus, even if the ovaries are intact.
  2. No pregnancy- However, removing the uterus is the best option to get rid of the ailments, but mind you, you are removing the uterus- which means no pregnancy at all. So if you have any reproductive tract problem, but still you wish to conceive in future, then hysterectomy should be the last option.
  3. Periods- Where on one hand the stoppage of painful periods will be a boon for the ladies, who have undergone the surgery, on the other hand, some females, who may not enjoy periods, but will feel lost a part of women hood.
  4. Early menopause- People whose ovaries have not been removed can still experience early menopause if blood flow to the ovaries is compromised.
  5. Symptoms of menopause- A woman may experience several symptoms of menopause, such as- hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness, night sweats.
  6. Decreased sexual drives- Some women complain of loss of interest during intercourse after a hysterectomy because uterine contractions have been lost or because of decreased cervical pressure.
  7. Constipation- After a hysterectomy, some complaints of constipation are recorded. However it is temporary and can be prevented by increasing the amount of fiber and fruits in the diet.
  8. Vaginal discharge- A moderate amount of vaginal discharge that is less than the amount that occurs during a monthly period is normal for up to six weeks. However, some women may report heavy bleeding, passing of clots, or a strong-smelling discharge. These may indicate any complications and should be immediately reported to the treating physician.

Comparison Table for Advantages And Disadvantages Of Removing Uterus

Quality of lifePost-surgical mental health
Reduced chronic painNo pregnancy
Heavy bleeding problemPeriods
CancerEarly menopause
Uterus prolapsedSymptoms of menopause
Pelvic painDecreased sexual drives
Hysterectomy over MyomectomyConstipation
Improved mentalVaginal discharge
Doctor’s advice

Advantages And Disadvantages of removing uterus 2

FAQ’s on Advantages And Disadvantages Of Removing Uterus

Question 1.
What organs are expected to be removed in hysterectomy?

Answer:
In removing the uterus, the fallopian tubes or the ovaries, both have chances of getting removed, depending on the condition and the ailment. Removal of both fallopian tubes is called a bilateral salpingectomy and a removal of both ovaries is called a bilateral oophorectomy.

Question 2.
How long does the patient need to be in hospital after removing the uterus?

Answer:
A patient’s stay in the hospital, entirely depends on what kind of surgery she has gone through. Patients with Abdominal hysterectomies may have to stay back in the hospital for 1-3 nights in the hospital.

Question 3,
What is more likely to be expected after the surgery?

Answer:
Soon after the surgery, the patient needs to have rest and extra precaution. She should not place anything in vagina during the recovery period. The doctors will themselves advise about when the patient can resume the intercourse.

Question 4.
What are the risk factors after removing the uterus?

Answer:
Every surgery has some ill-effects at its back, there are a few risk factors of removing uterus like- bleeding, injuries, disturbance to the sided organs, itching in urination, blood clots formation.

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