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The uterus is located between the bladder and the rectum and works to nourish and house a fertilised egg until the foetus or offspring is ready to be delivered given birth.

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New Delhi: From the onset of menstrual cycles till menopause and after, the uterus has a key role to play in womens health. Also known as the womb, this muscular organ is an essential part of the female reproductive system. It is located between the bladder and the rectum and works to nourish and house a fertilised egg until the foetus or offspring is ready to be delivered given birth. When it comes to an unfertilised egg, the uterine lining breaks and thus begins the menstrual cycle also known as a period. However, in some cases, due to the presence of a tumour or an abnormality, a gynaecologist may recommend the removal of the uterus altogether through a surgical procedure known as hysterectomy.

To learn more about the procedure, its benefits and health risks, Times Now Digital interacted with Dr. Shanta Kumari, Gynaecologist and President at FOGSI.

Question 1: Under what circumstances (health risks) do gynaecologists recommend hysterectomy?

Dr Kumari: If you look at the condition for the indication for hysterectomy, there can be heavy menstrual bleeding abnormal uterine bleeding huge fibroids, and sometimes very severe endometriosis. When you look at what are the indications for a hysterectomy, there are so many indications that simply beginning causes heavy menstrual bleeding or sometimes abnormal uterine bleeding. Sometimes, there can be multiple fibroids or big fibroids that could be benign ovarian tumour cells. In this case, a hysterectomy must be performed ASAP and most important the malignancy so when you have cervical cancer or uterine cancer, these are the conditions where you will have to do and detect sometimes even endometriosis, very severe endometriosis with retrograde endometriosis with the loss of adhesions and sometimes very severe chronic pelvic pain not responding to any treatment medical path also sometimes may have to do and is checked. These are some of the indications that the patient needs uterus removal surgery.

Question 2: How safe is the hysterectomy procedure?

Dr Kumari: When you look at surgery, we have to look at the benefit over the risks, when the benefit of the surgery is there, then you have to take the risk for the surgery also. Nothing is 100% safe. So that is what applies to any surgery.

Question 3: In what medical conditions do you recommend this procedure?

Dr Kumari: We will have to see if it is a benign condition, if the age of the women is little younger and if she would like to conserve the uterus, then that would be better. If you have an age the woman around perimenopausal or menopausal and you have huge fibroids, or abnormal menstrual bleeding, couldn't be some endometrial cancer or cervical cancer, then you'd have to do the hysterectomy. And ovarian tumours also sometimes have to do a hysterectomy.

Question 4: Is there a group of women for who you do not recommend hysterectomy? If yes, then why

Dr Kumari: There's no such thing as no hysterectomy for younger women. If she has a problem, we'll definitely have to give them other options. We need to conserve their uterus which is very important, but again risk-benefit. So you have a malignancy in the even in the abdomen, sometimes unfortunately then you may have to do an effect and that is a thing but at the same time if you can conserve the uterus is aware best in which we can offer.

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Hysterectomy: Ob-gyn explains the aspects of a uterus removal surgery - Times Now