hysterectomy - Healthy Living

Hysterectomy: Should You or Shouldn’t You?

April 21, 2008

Although women recognize the word hysterectomy, the procedure is often misunderstood. That’s why it’s essential to ask your doc what really needs to be removed, says William Parker, MD, clinical professor OB-GYN at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine. Here’s the lowdown. Read More

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Too Many Hysterectomies?

April 21, 2008

Searing back pain. Endless periods with clots the size of plums. Bloating that turns even your “fat” pants into a tourniquet. Every year, symptoms like these drive thousands of women to consider getting a hysterectomy. The surgery is so popular, in fact, that one-third of all women will have a hysterectomy before they turn 60. For many, the procedure provides real relief. But here’s a shocker: More than two-thirds of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed every year may be unnecessary, experts say. The truth: Several other approaches are available that may have fewer complications and shorter recovery times. And some research suggests that hysterectomy may lead to sexual problems, incontinence, and a slight loss of physical strength. Other studies dispute those findings. Read More

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Surgery to Avoid #1: Hysterectomy

February 25, 2008

by Curt Pesmen
One of 5 operations you don’t want to get—and what to do instead.

There’s long been a concern, at least among many women, about the high rates of hysterectomy (a procedure to remove the uterus) in the United States. American women undergo twice as many hysterectomies per capita as British women and four times as many as Swedish women.

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