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Article: Hysterectomy Still Overdone: How to Avoid One.
- Article from:
- HealthFacts
- Article date:
- March 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Center for Medical Consumers, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Though the U.S. hysterectomy rate has declined slowly over the last two decades, it remains one of the highest in the world. A new study suggests that in about 70% of cases, this operation continues to be inappropriate (Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2/00). Dr. Michael S. Broder of the University of California in Los Angeles, and colleagues assessed the medical records of 500 women who underwent hysterectomy--surgical removal of the uterus--for reasons unrelated to cancer or an emergency. Benign uterine growths (fibroids), pelvic pain, and excessive menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) are the most common reasons for hysterectomy.
Dr. Broder and colleagues found that many ...