Study: 1 in 5 Hysterectomies May Be Unnecessary
One in 5 women who had a hysterectomy for benign conditions may not have needed the procedure, according to a recent study.
“This study provides evidence that alternatives to hysterectomy are underutilized in women undergoing hysterectomy for abnormal uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, or pelvic pain,” said Daniel M. Morgan, MD, the lead author of the study and associate professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at University of Michigan Medical School.1
For the study, researchers analyzed the medical records of 3397 women who underwent hysterectomies for non-cancerous conditions.1
In order to determine how often alternatives to hysterectomy were being recommended to women with benign gynecological disease, the investigators collected data from the 51 hospitals participating in the Michigan Surgery Quality Collaborative over a 10-month period in 2013.1
The study showed that 37.7% of the women did not receive alternative treatment prior to their hysterectomy. Of the women, 68% under 40 years of age were more likely to use alternative treatment compared to those between 40 and 50 years (62%), and 56% of women over 50 years of age.2
Investigators identified a higher rate of unsupported pathology among 37.8% of women (under 40 years of age) and among those with endometriosis and chronic pain compared to uterine fibroids and other gynecological problems.2
The complete study is published in the December issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
-Michelle Canales
References:
1. Health System University of Michigan. Nearly 1 in 5 women who undergo hysterectomy may not need the procedure. January 6, 2015. www.uofmhealth.org/news/archive/201501/nearly-1-5-women-who-undergo-hysterectomy-may-not-need. Accessed January 12, 2015.
2. Corona LE, Swenson CW, Sheetz KH, et al. Use of other treatments before hysterectomy for benign conditions in a statewide hospital collaborative. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2015 January [epub ahead of print] doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2014.11.031