What is a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy is an operation to remove a woman’s uterus. There are a number of medical reasons that your healthcare provider might recommend a hysterectomy, including uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse, and cancer, to name a few.
Depending on the reason for the hysterectomy, the procedure may entail removing all or only part of the uterus.
There are also different approaches to hysterectomy, which impacts healing time and the kind of scar, if any, that remains following the operation.
What are my hysterectomy options?
In an abdominal hysterectomy, your surgeon will make an incision across your belly and remove the uterus through it. Following this surgery, your recovery time in the hospital is typically two to three days.
In a minimally-invasive hysterectomy, the surgery can be performed through the vagina, or through a small cut in the abdomen. In general, this type of procedure allows for faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and less pain and scarring than an abdominal hysterectomy.
Not every woman is a good candidate for a minimally invasive procedure -- scar tissue, obesity, uterus size and health status -- can be mitigating factors.
Get more answers
If you need a hysterectomy, your care team at the St. Charles Center for Women’s Health will answer your questions and guide you step-by-step through the process.
