Hormonal Imbalance

The uterus and ovaries play a major role in maintaining the female hormone system. If the ovaries are removed, then ovulation ceases and this would lead to lowered levels of estrogen and progesterone and consequently, to premature menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness, hot flushes, and other symptoms associated with natural menopause. In such cases, patients are put through hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - also known as hormone therapy (HT) - to maintain their hormone levels.

Psychological Implications

It has been observed that the uterus, whether or not in the child-bearing stage, attributes to feelings of ‘completeness’ or ‘feminity’ and does have some kind of influence on the psyche and self-image of a women. Although some women relate hysterectomy to a loss in sexuality, it is not completely true, since sexuality is more about the way a woman looks, feels or relates to others. But then again, the way women cope with the stress of hysterectomy depends largely on the individual.

Effect Of Hysterectomy On Sexual Function

There are no conclusive studies on loss of sexuality after hysterectomy. Report suggests that, there are as many women who encounter sexual dysfunction, as there are those who find no change in sexual function, after a hysterectomy. Interestingly, there are a significant number of women who claim that, their enjoyment has increased after a hysterectomy. These perhaps point to the fact that the most decisive in postoperative sexuality was preoperative sexual activity.