Sometimes, you need a hysterectomy to save your life. With ovarian, cervical, or uterine cancer, removing your uterus often gives you a way to eradicate the cancerous cells.

Other times, women choose to get a hysterectomy not to save their life, but to save their quality of life. When conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, or polyps haven’t responded to other treatments, a hysterectomy can provide a path forward. With all or part of the uterus removed, the problem goes away, too. 

Getting an elective hysterectomy is a major decision, and one you shouldn’t take lightly. If you’re considering this procedure, visit Medha Amin, MD, FACOG, Ramya Narayanan, MD, FACOG, or Shamita Bansore, MD, FACOG, at Midwest Women OB/GYN Ltd. 

At our office in Downers Grove, Illinois, we can help you explore the different types of hysterectomies and which one might be right for you. Then, you can make an educated decision about whether or not you want to get this procedure.

As we help women evaluate this treatment option, we always recommend they consider their:

1: Family planning goals

You can’t get pregnant after a hysterectomy. 

That factor alone is enough to decide for some women. If you know you still want to have children, a hysterectomy isn’t right for you. 

Our team can help you explore alternative treatment options, which could be medication or another surgery, like a myomectomy to remove uterine fibroids. We can also pair that with fertility treatment, since a lot of the conditions that make you a candidate for a hysterectomy also affect your ability to get pregnant. 

2: Relationship with menopause

With some types of hysterectomies, we remove your ovaries, too (this is called an oophorectomy). Once your ovaries are gone, you immediately go into menopause. That means you likely experience symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes. 

We offer treatment for menopausal symptoms called hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which replaces the hormones your body stops making once your ovaries are gone. 

If you’re far from menopausal age (45–55), you might not be ready for this transition. Or if you’re close to menopause, it might also make sense to wait on the hysterectomy. Some issues resolve with menopause. Fibroids tend to shrink during this transition, for example. 

3: Quality of life

A hysterectomy is a significant procedure that permanently changes your body and requires a lengthy recovery window. Generally, you should only consider it if the benefits far outweigh those downsides.

Specifically, we only recommend a hysterectomy when your current situation takes a serious toll on your quality of life. If you have severe, chronic pelvic pain or extremely heavy bleeding, a hysterectomy might be worth it. 

We can help you get a better idea of what a hysterectomy would mean based on the type of procedure you need (e.g., an oophorectomy or not). To schedule a consultation with our team,  call Midwest Women OB/GYN Ltd at 630-852-3762 or request an appointment online today.