Like all surgery, a hysterectomy carries some risk of complications:
- Infection: around one in every 100 women will experience an infection after surgery, but this is normally not serious and can be treated with antibiotics.
- Damage to other abdominal organs: very rarely, women will suffer damage to other abdominal organs, such as the bladder. This can lead to other problems such as incontinence or having a frequent need to urinate. It may be possible to repair the damage with further surgery.
- Blood loss: also rarely (around one or two in every 100), a blood transfusion is needed as a result of blood loss during the operation.
- Vaginal problems: there's also a risk that you will have problems at the top of the vagina where the cervix was removed, such as slow wound healing in the short term or prolapse in later years.
- Early menopause: If you've had your ovaries removed, it is likely that you'll soon start experiencing menopausal symptoms (hot flushes, sweating, vaginal dryness and disturbed sleep). This is because the menopause is triggered once a woman stops producing eggs from her ovaries (ovulating).
- Ovary failure: If your ovaries are left intact, there's around a 50% chance of your ovaries failing within five years of your hysterectomy – this is because your ovaries receive some of their blood supply through your uterus, which has been removed during the operation. This can also cause early menopause.
HRT for early menopause
The risk of early menopause is an important consideration if you're having your hysterectomy before the age of 40, as you may wish to start hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This has proved effective in treating menopausal symptoms.
An earlier onset of the menopause may put you at increased risk of developing brittle bones (osteoporosis). This is because the hormone oestrogen helps maintain bone density, and levels of oestrogen drop during the menopause. Depending on your age and circumstances, it may be necessary to take additional medicines to prevent osteoporosis.
