(New York Times) – Patients often are in the dark about which organs remain and which were removed — particularly the ovaries, which profoundly influence lifelong health.

Hysterectomies have been steadily declining for decades, in part thanks to new, targeted treatments for fibroids and other sources of pelvic pain and bleeding. But aside from C-sections, they are still the most common surgical procedure among women. Nearly 500,000 patients had a uterus removed in 2020. By the time they die, nearly half of women will have lost their uterus.

There are few procedures in which patients routinely go under the knife without understanding their full range of options — or leave the operating room not knowing exactly which of their organs remain. But that is exactly what happens to many hysterectomy patients today. (Read More)