What Really Happens After a Hysterectomy

HealthiHer Episode #107 What Happens to Your Hormones After a Hysterectomy? | Dr. Amy Brenner Explains Will a hysterectomy cause menopause? Does removing your uterus affect your hormones? Should you keep your ovaries? What happens if your ovaries are removed? And do you really need hormone replacement therapy afterward? These are some of the most common questions women ask before and after hysterectomy—and unfortunately, they're also some of the most misunderstood. In this episode of the HealthiHer Podcast, board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Amy Brenner explains the difference between a hysterectomy and an oophorectomy, what current medical research says about ovarian function after hysterectomy, and how removing the ovaries can affect estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, heart health, bone health, brain health, metabolism, and longevity. You'll learn why some women enter surgical menopause immediately after surgery, why others may experience menopause earlier than expected after keeping their ovaries, and how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help reduce many of the long-term health risks associated with early hormone loss. Whether you're preparing for surgery, recovering from a hysterectomy, considering ovary removal, or researching menopause and hormone therapy, this episode provides an evidence-based overview to help you have informed conversations with your healthcare provider. In this episode: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 What is a hysterectomy? 01:05 Hysterectomy vs. oophorectomy explained 02:08 Does keeping your ovaries preserve hormone production? 04:07 What the research says about ovarian function after hysterectomy 05:06 How do you know you've reached menopause after a hysterectomy? 06:18 What happens when both ovaries are removed? 07:42 Health risks of surgical menopause without hormone replacement 09:33 Does ovary removal affect longevity? 10:10 Should you remove your ovaries during hysterectomy? 11:48 Why fallopian tubes are often removed today 12:06 Can hormone replacement therapy reduce health risks? 12:57 Key takeaways Topics Discussed Hysterectomy Surgical menopause Oophorectomy Ovary removal Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) Estrogen therapy Testosterone for women Progesterone Menopause Early menopause Heart disease and menopause Bone loss and osteoporosis Dementia risk Women's hormones Women's health OB/GYN education Research Referenced • Moorman PG, et al. Effect of Hysterectomy With Ovarian Preservation on Ovarian Function. Obstetrics & Gynecology (2011) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22067... • Laughlin GA, et al. Rancho Bernardo Study. (2000) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11061... • Mayo Clinic – Menopause: Symptoms and Causes https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c... • Hassan S, et al. Long-Term Outcomes of Hysterectomy With Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (2024) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37364... • Cusimano MC, et al. Association of Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. The BMJ (2021) https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2... • ACOG Committee Opinion No. 774: Opportunistic Salpingectomy as a Strategy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Prevention https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinica... • Gompel A, Simoncini T. Menopause Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41619... --- Subscribe for more evidence-based conversations on women's health, menopause, hormones, gynecology, wellness, and healthy aging. This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace personalized medical advice from your healthcare provider.