Q. I am 40 years old and I am considering having a partial hysterectomy. Would this change my sexual hormones as it would if I had gotten a full hysterectomy or would my sexual desire stay the same?

A. Partial hysterectomy usually means removal of the uterus but leaving the ovaries in place. The ovaries will continue normal hormone production whether the uterus is present or not, until menopause occurs. If the uterus is absent, menopause can be confirmed by measuring hormone levels. Physical and emotional well-being after a surgical procedure like a hysterectomy is indeed influenced by many factors and would be difficult to predict beforehand. A lot may be determined by the diagnosis which is leading to the hysterectomy in the first place. Many women do well after hysterectomy with no physical or sexual impairment while others feel sexuality is impaired. All of these factors should be discussed with your doctor.

http://medlineplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hysterectomy.html

http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/agepages/sexual.htm

http://www.hersfoundation.com/

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