Is There A Link Between Rapid Aging And Hysterectomy?

What Is A Hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of a woman’s uterus. In some cases, other organs that are part of the female reproductive system are also removed which may include one or both ovaries, cervix, and fallopian tubes.

What Role Does Estrogen Play In A Premenopausal Woman?

Estrogen plays a key role in a number of bodily functions. Menstruation is at the top of the list and this abruptly stops when the ovaries are removed and immediately forces the onset of menopause. These women are not given the benefit of easing into it. Unpleasant symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and mood swings are likely to hit with a vengeance.

Low estrogen is linked to many other issues among women including:

1. Cognitive Impairment – Research has shown that women who are forced into early menopause are more at risk for dementia and conditions of the brain and memory including Parkinson’s disease.
2. Bone Density Loss – Estrogen helps maintain the strength and density of a woman’s bones. Sudden decreases in estrogen can contribute to arthritis and osteoporosis. Women who have experienced oophorectomy, especially if they were younger than 45, should be closely watched for signs of reduced bone density.
3. Older Appearance and Skin – Normally as we age, our estrogen levels wane, and the production of collagen and elastin slows down as well. This causes wrinkles to form, we lose the youthful volume in our skin and begin to show all the signs of aging. The early onset of menopause brought on by the sudden decrease in estrogen production can cause rapid signs of aging after a hysterectomy in younger women.

Hysterectomy with Ovary Removal Can Cause Premature Death

Each year, over 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the United States. The average age for hysterectomy worldwide is between 40 and 49. Often, a hysterectomy may involve the removal of the ovaries, which are responsible for providing hormone balance.

In addition to the unpleasant symptoms experienced by the sudden drop in estrogen caused by the removal of the ovaries, research has also found a link to premature death. The research indicated that there were fewer body changes after a hysterectomy for those who kept the ovaries in place and a lower risk of coronary heart disease, provided the ovaries continued to produce and release adequate amounts of estrogen.

The University of Warwick, UK conducted a ten-year study on the link between hysterectomy with the removal of the ovaries and increased instances of cancer, heart disease, and premature death. The study looked at women ages 35 to 45 who when treated for a benign disease had both ovaries removed compared to those who only had one ovary or no ovaries removed. The group of women who lost both ovaries was at higher risk for premature death.

Another study in Australia conducted a 21-year study on women under the age of 50. Their objective was to determine whether a woman who had a hysterectomy and had both ovaries removed would have a higher risk of dying prematurely. The study also aimed to determine if hormone therapy would decrease these risks.

This Australian study determined that women who had a hysterectomy along with the removal of their ovaries had an increased risk of dying before the age of 75, but the group that retained their ovaries did not appear to have an increased risk of premature death similar to women who did not have a hysterectomy.

A third study, The Nurses Health Study was done on a group of 30,117 women who had hysterectomies for benign diseases. During the 28 years of follow-up, it was determined that women who had a hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy (both ovaries removed) before the age of 50 significantly increased the risk of heart disease and premature death.

A study in Norway that aimed to explore life expectancy after a total hysterectomy determined that women who underwent the removal of their uterus with both ovaries were twice as likely to experience cardiovascular mortality.

These studies concluded that there is an increased risk of heart disease and a shorter life expectancy for women that undergo hysterectomy for fibroids. This risk is present in all women less than 50 years of age and increases the younger the woman is when she has her hysterectomy, i.e. risk is even higher for women who undergo a hysterectomy at 30 vs. 40 vs. 50 years of age.

The studies also concluded that women who had both ovaries removed before the age of 50 but also did hormone replacement therapy (HRT) did not fall into the category of increased risk of premature death. However, HRT can increase the risk of several types of reproductive cancer in women.

Hysterectomy was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, whereas bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was not. Among women ≤ 52 years at inclusion, both hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy were associated with a twofold increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, but the results were imprecise. Women after hysterectomy and/or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy constitute a group with increased cardiovascular mortality that may need closer attention to cardiovascular disease risk from the healthcare system to ensure timely and effective preventive interventions.

Uterine Fibroids Are the Leading Cause Of Hysterectomy

Uterine fibroids are the #1 reason for hysterectomy in the United States. Fibroid symptoms can be debilitating and many women seek relief through their OB/GYN. Unfortunately, most OB/GYNs only offer a surgical solution and typically do not mention UFE as a treatment option.

Many women are in such distress that they just opt for surgery and do not realize they have another, less invasive, safer, non-surgical option called uterine fibroid embolization or UFE. UFE is not performed by an OB/GYN but by an Interventional Radiologist, like Dr. John Lipman and Dr. Mitchell Ermentrout at The Atlanta Fibroid Center.