Obstetrics and Gynecology

Overview

Elizabeth (Ebbie) A. Stewart, M.D., reproductive endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, discusses a review article she and colleagues published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Mood disorders and cardiovascular disease are substantially increased in people who have had hysterectomies compared with those who have not. The risk appears greater the younger women are at time of hysterectomy. The paper argues that evidence must guide gynecologic surgery and that patients and providers must look carefully at long-term consequences of surgeries such as hysterectomy and oophorectomy and consider whether any minimally invasive options might be acceptable. The authors state that prophylactic surgery must be carefully considered because it may reduce one risk and increase others.