How can surgery cause menopause?
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Donna Hill Howes answered:The surgical removal of ovaries can be necessary if a woman has cervical or ovarian cancers, or if she is at an increased risk for some cancers. If a woman carries the BRCA gene, she is at increased risk for reproductive cancers, and the removal is a form of prevention. Also, sometimes surgery is necessary in case of severe endometriosis, fibroids, or infection.
The surgical removal of ovaries can be necessary if a woman has cervical or ovarian cancers, or if she is at an increased risk for some cancers. If a woman carries the BRCA gene, she is at increased risk for reproductive cancers, and the removal is... More -
Surgical menopause is the result of having to remove both ovaries, or what is called a bilateral oophorectomy. A woman’s ovaries produce female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, and after surgery, the sudden drop in these hormones can produce menopausal symptoms that can be more severe than they might be during natural menopause.
The most common reasons a woman may have her ovaries removed include
- Cancer (including endometrial or ovarian cancer)
- Hysterectomy (although not all hysterectomies result in oophorectomy)
- Endometriosis, a condition when cells from the womb lining grow outside the uterus causing pain at many points during a woman’s cycle
- Myomectomy, the removal of uterine fibroids, non-cancerous tumors that grow into the uterine wall and may cause excessive bleeding, pain, or infertility
- Treatment for other infections or conditions
As a result of surgical menopause, it’s likely that the signs and symptoms of menopause may come on quickly and powerfully. Though some doctors still prescribe estrogen to prevent or control these intense changes, the use of synthetic hormones has become controversial during the past decade since studies have shown that hormone replacement causes an increased risk of heart disease and some cancers.
Surgical menopause is the result of having to remove both ovaries, or what is called a bilateral oophorectomy. A woman’s ovaries produce female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, and after surgery, the sudden drop in these hormones can... More
