It might have a funny sounding name, but every year for thousands of women oophorectomy, the surgical removal of one or both of the ovaries is no laughing matter.
The ovaries are the part of a woman’s reproductive system that produce female sex hormones like progesterone, and the ovaries also store and release eggs for fertilization. When one of the ovaries is removed, the ability to have children and menstruate remains, but when both of the ovaries are removed, menopause sets in and a woman loses the ability to have children.
For women suffering from pelvic disease like ovarian cancer or severe endometriosis, an oophorectomy often is necessary. Likewise, an oophorectomy is sometimes recommended when the hormones produced by the ovaries are making a disease like breast cancer worse.
There also are women with certain abnormal genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2 (popularized in cases like Angelina Joli), there is a higher likelihood of developing breast or ovarian cancer around age 45 (as opposed to age 70). In these cases, doctors often recommend a prophylactic (preventative) oophorectomy.
Shockingly, the removal of the ovaries also is fairly common among women who have a hysterectomy (the surgical removal of the uterus), which also is seen as a preventative measure. In the U.S. alone, half of the more than 600,000 hysterectomies every year see ovary removal, too.
With the major outcomes of the surgery being a halt in menstruation and the loss of ability to have children, other side effects of the surgery include diminished libido and energy levels caused by testosterone deficiency post-surgery. Also, there’s an increased risk of developing osteoporosis because of lowered estrogen and testosterone levels.
If you’ve had an oophorectomy, you might want to take our fast and free self-assessment test to see if you’re experiencing low libido. Both AndroFeme® and ProFeme® can help boost your hormone levels back to their natural levels, which will return you to your happy, healthy self! To read more on ovulation and anovulation, download the free booklet!
Have you experienced an oophorectomy? We want to hear how you’re managing your hormones post-surgery. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
