Pre-menopausal people often entermenopauseright after having ahysterectomyto remove their ovaries. The ovaries produce estrogen, a hormone that depletes during menopause, so removing them pre-maturely may trigger menopause.
The ovaries are not always removed during a hysterectomy, though. If they are not removed, they will produce estrogen until menopause naturally begins. The decision to remove the ovaries hinges on the purpose of the surgery and your overall health.
This article covers what to expect if you are having your ovaries removed via hysterectomy, how to prepare for menopause whenever it comes, and the symptoms you may experience after your procedure.
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Understanding Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy refers to the surgical removal of the uterus. It may be performed for a number of reasons, both benign (for example, uterine fibroids) and cancerous (such as uterine cancer).
Depending on the reason behind why a hysterectomy is being done, a healthcare provider may alsoremove the ovaries and fallopian tubes(the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus).
Upon removal of the ovaries, a premenopausal person will immediately go into menopause (called surgical or induced menopause). Because they no longer have ovaries to produce estrogen, they may experience classic symptoms of estrogen depletion, such as hot flashes and/or vaginal dryness.
In addition to these symptoms, there are also health conditions associated with the low-estrogen state of menopause, likeosteoporosis(when your bones weaken and become prone to breaking).
If you are premenopausal and your ovaries are not removed during a hysterectomy, your body will continue to produce estrogen. However, you will not have periods anymore, as there is no uterine lining to shed.
Surgical Menopause
There are a number of symptoms linked to both natural and surgical menopause. Two of the most common ones include vaginal dryness and hot flashes.
Vaginal Dryness
With the loss of estrogen, the lining of the vagina becomes dry and itchy—a phenomenon called vaginal atrophy. This vaginal dryness, itching, and burning often make sex painful and, in turn, can lower the desire to have intercourse.
What Is Vaginal Atrophy, and What Helps?
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
A night sweat refers to a hot flash that occurs during sleep. Night sweats can negatively impact your sleep cycle, which may lead to tiredness during the day.
Hot Flashes, Night Sweats, and Menopause
Other Symptoms of Surgical Menopause
These symptoms include:
Menopausal symptoms tend to be more intense for people who have undergone surgical removal of their ovaries than for those who experience menopause naturally. However, menopausal symptoms vary widely and in degree from person to person.
This greater intensity of menopausal symptoms is attributed to the abrupt removal of the ovaries, which are a primary source of estrogen. In natural menopause, the ovaries gradually lose their ability to produce estrogen, so the body can (usually) adjust more easily.
Hysterectomy With Ovaries Left Intact
Occasionally, people whose ovaries were not removedduring a hysterectomyexperiencehot flashesand other menopausal symptoms. This is mostly due to the disturbance of the blood supply to the ovaries during surgery.
In addition, some people may undergo menopause a few years sooner than they normally would if they never underwent a hysterectomy (the average onset age for menopause is 52).
How Does Taking Birth Control Pills Affect Menopause?
Summary
A hysterectomy that removes the ovaries triggers what’s known as surgical menopause. This happens because the ovaries produce estrogen, the reproductive hormone that depletes in menopause. A person who has a hysterectomy with ovaries left intact will not begin surgical menopause immediately, but will no longer have a period.
A Word From VerywellWhen the ovaries are removed at the time of hysterectomy, the abrupt transition can make the symptoms of menopause more disruptive. It’s important to discuss this, as well as what options are available to manage these symptoms, with your healthcare provider in advance.—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
When the ovaries are removed at the time of hysterectomy, the abrupt transition can make the symptoms of menopause more disruptive. It’s important to discuss this, as well as what options are available to manage these symptoms, with your healthcare provider in advance.—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
When the ovaries are removed at the time of hysterectomy, the abrupt transition can make the symptoms of menopause more disruptive. It’s important to discuss this, as well as what options are available to manage these symptoms, with your healthcare provider in advance.
—CORDELIA NWANKWO, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dalal PK, Agarwal M.Postmenopausal syndrome.Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(Suppl 2):S222-S232. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.161483Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing.Dealing with the symptoms of menopause.Office on Women’s Health.Hysterectomy.Additional ReadingLonnée-Hoffmann R, Pinas I.Effects of hysterectomy on sexual function.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014;6(4):244-51. doi:10.1007/s11930-014-0029-3The North American Menopause Society.Instant Health for Induced Menopause.
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Dalal PK, Agarwal M.Postmenopausal syndrome.Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(Suppl 2):S222-S232. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.161483Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing.Dealing with the symptoms of menopause.Office on Women’s Health.Hysterectomy.Additional ReadingLonnée-Hoffmann R, Pinas I.Effects of hysterectomy on sexual function.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014;6(4):244-51. doi:10.1007/s11930-014-0029-3The North American Menopause Society.Instant Health for Induced Menopause.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dalal PK, Agarwal M.Postmenopausal syndrome.Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(Suppl 2):S222-S232. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.161483Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing.Dealing with the symptoms of menopause.Office on Women’s Health.Hysterectomy.
Dalal PK, Agarwal M.Postmenopausal syndrome.Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(Suppl 2):S222-S232. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.161483
Harvard Medical School Harvard Health Publishing.Dealing with the symptoms of menopause.
Office on Women’s Health.Hysterectomy.
Lonnée-Hoffmann R, Pinas I.Effects of hysterectomy on sexual function.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014;6(4):244-51. doi:10.1007/s11930-014-0029-3The North American Menopause Society.Instant Health for Induced Menopause.
Lonnée-Hoffmann R, Pinas I.Effects of hysterectomy on sexual function.Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014;6(4):244-51. doi:10.1007/s11930-014-0029-3
The North American Menopause Society.Instant Health for Induced Menopause.
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