Summary
Read the full fact sheet- Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of your uterus.
- If you have a hysterectomy, you will no longer have periods or be able to get pregnant.
- Health conditions such as heavy or painful periods, fibroids or cancer may require a hysterectomy.
- The operation may be performed through your abdomen or vagina.
On this page
Types of hysterectomy
There are 2 types of hysterectomy:
- total hysterectomy – removal of your uterus and cervix
- sub-total hysterectomy – removal of your uterus only, leaving the cervix in place.
Your doctor may recommend removal of your fallopian tubes, as it might reduce the risk of some ovarian cancers that begin in the tubes.
Reasons for having a hysterectomy
There are many reasons you might need to have a hysterectomy. For example, if you have:
- a condition that causes heavy bleeding (e.g. fibroids)
- a condition that causes severe pain and discomfort (e.g. adenomyosis or endometriosis)
- a prolapse – weakness of the tissues supporting your uterus and vaginal walls
- chronic pelvic inflammatory disease
- cancer or pre-cancer of your cervix, uterus, ovaries or fallopian tubes.
Do you need a doctor’s referral?
Yes, you will need your doctor to refer you to a gynaecologist to perform the hysterectomy.
How is a hysterectomy performed?
There are different ways to perform a hysterectomy, including:
- laparoscopic – keyhole surgery, performed through your abdomen, using a tube with a camera (laparoscope)
- vaginal – surgery performed through your vagina
- abdominal – surgery performed via your lower abdomen.
Your gynaecologist will advise which type of hysterectomy is right for you.
Risks associated with having a hysterectomy
As with any operation, there are some risks associated with having a hysterectomy. For example:
- blood loss
- infection
- blood clots
- a reaction to anaesthesia
- damage to abdominal organs, such as the bladder, bowel or ureters.
Your gynaecologist will explain the risks in more detail.
After your hysterectomy
Recovery from a hysterectomy will depend on the type of operation you had and your general health before the operation. The average recovery time for a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy is up to 4 weeks. For an abdominal hysterectomy, recovery may take up to 6 weeks.
After a hysterectomy, you will not have periods or need contraception.
Depending on your situation, your doctor may recommend menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) until the expected age of menopause. MHT will help with menopausal symptoms and reduce potential long-term health risks of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
More information
For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit Jean Hailes for Women’s Health.
Where to get help
- GP (doctor)
- Gynaecologist
- Local women’s health centre
- Community health centre
- Family planning clinic
- Jean Hailes for Women’s Health
- ‘Hysterectomy trends in Australia - between 2000/01 and 2004/05', Hill EL, Graham ML, Shelley JM, 2010, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 153-158.
- Opportunistic Salpingectomy as a Strategy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Prevention, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- 'The post-reproductive Fallopian tube: better removed', Dietl J et al., Hum Reprod. 2011 Nov;26(11):2918-24. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der274. Epub 2011 Aug 16
- Committee Opinion No 701: Choosing the Route of Hysterectomy for Benign Disease. Committee on Gynecologic Practice Obstet Gynecol. 2017;129(6):e155
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