Pre-menopausal people often entermenopauseright after having ahysterectomyto remove their ovaries.
The ovaries produce estrogen, a hormone that depletes during menopause, so removing them pre-maturely may trigger menopause.
The ovaries are not always removed during a hysterectomy, though.
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If they are not removed, they will produce estrogen until menopause naturally begins.
The decision to remove the ovaries hinges on the purpose of the surgery and your overall health.
Understanding Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy refers to the surgical removal of the uterus.
However, you will not have periods anymore, as there is no uterine lining to shed.
Surgical Menopause
There are a number of symptoms linked to both natural and surgical menopause.
Two of the most common ones include vaginal dryness and hot flashes.
A night sweat refers to a hot flash that occurs during sleep.
Night sweats can negatively impact your sleep cycle, which may lead to tiredness during the day.
However, menopausal symptoms vary widely and in degree from person to person.
Occasionally, people whose ovaries were not removedduring a hysterectomyexperiencehot flashesand other menopausal symptoms.
This is mostly due to the disturbance of the blood supply to the ovaries during surgery.
Summary
A hysterectomy that removes the ovaries triggers what’s known as surgical menopause.
This happens because the ovaries produce estrogen, the reproductive hormone that depletes in menopause.
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