Hysterectomy Induced Menopause

Sometimes, younger women need a hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries) to treat health problems such as endometriosis or cancer. After your surgery, you will enter into what is known as induced or surgical menopause. This is menopause that happens to your body right away, and it is brought on by the surgery. You will no longer have periods. Since your ovaries will be removed, you may have many menopausal symptoms right away, instead of gradually. You can talk with your health care provider (HCP) about how to best manage these symptoms.

Women who have a hysterectomy, but have their ovaries left in place, will not have induced menopause because their ovaries will continue to make hormones. But, because their uterus is removed, they no longer have their periods and they cannot bear children. They also might have hot flashes since the surgery can sometimes disturb the blood supply to the ovaries. Later on, they also might have natural menopause a year or two earlier than expected.