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Hysterectomy May Help Improve Sexual Function CHICAGO, IL -- November 23, 1999 --Women who have a hysterectomy may experience an improvement in sexual functioning and activity, and a decrease in sexual dysfunction, according to an article in the November 24 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Julia C. Rhodes, M.S., from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and colleagues interviewed 1132 women in the Maryland Women's Health Study during a two-year prospective study of sexual function following a hysterectomy. The authors found the percentage of sexually active women increased from 70.5 percent before hysterectomy to 77.6 percent 12 months after the procedure and 76.7 percent at 24 months following hysterectomy. The rates of painful intercourse dropped significantly from 18.6 percent prior to hysterectomy to 4.3 percent at 12 months after hysterectomy and 3.6 percent at 24 months. The authors also found that orgasms increased and libido improved after hysterectomy. Fewer women reported experiencing vaginal dryness after the procedure. The researchers report that prehysterectomy depression was associated with painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, low libido and not experiencing orgasms. "Overall, this study found substantial improvements in sexual functioning after hysterectomy; significantly more women were sexually active after hysterectomy and for each sexual functioning problem the rate of relief was higher than 60 percent and the rate of development was lower than 10 percent," the researchers write. "Thus, the results of this study indicate that women undergoing hysterectomy are likely to experience a good outcome in terms of sexual functioning." According to background information cited in the article, more than 500,000 women in the United States undergo hysterectomy yearly for treatment of chronic benign gynecological conditions. Women often are concerned about a hysterectomy affecting their sexual function. "Although there are many plausible mechanisms that could account for the observed improvements in each aspect of sexual functioning, it is also possible that women simply feel better after hysterectomy and that sexual functioning improves along with the overall health status and quality of life," write the authors. "This theory is supported by the fact that the women in this study were highly symptomatic before their hysterectomies and reported improvements not only in sexual functioning but also in many aspects of health and well-being. Freedom from vaginal bleeding and fear of pregnancy may also account for some of the observed improvements." The authors add that this study should not be misconstrued to indicate that hysterectomy improves sexual functioning in healthy women. The majority of patients in this study had gynecological problems; therefore, it is likely that their problems with sexual function experienced before hysterectomy were a result of the gynecological disorders. "It is not surprising that removal of an unhealthy uterus would improve sexual functioning," write the researchers. "In contrast, we can see no reason to believe that removal of a healthy uterus would improve sexual functioning." (JAMA. 1999;282:1934-1941) Related Link: The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version