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All CollectionsPMDD, Surgery & Surgical MenopauseGeneral questions about PMDD, surgery and surgical menopause (PMDD & PME focus)
My Doctor wants to just do a hysterectomy but leave my ovaries in - will this get rid of PMDD?
My Doctor wants to just do a hysterectomy but leave my ovaries in - will this get rid of PMDD?

Keywords: Surgery. Surgical menopause. Ovary. Oophorectomy.

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Written by IAPMD
Updated over 3 years ago

No.

Some patients with treatment-resistant PMDD will choose to have a total hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy (removal of the uterus and both ovaries) to once-and-for-all remove the hormonal flux that causes symptoms. Bilateral oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries) eliminates hormone cycling and usually eliminates cyclical symptoms in those with PMDD.

Both ovaries must be removed for oophorectomy to be an effective treatment for PMDD. Ovulation still occurs regularly with just one ovary, and therefore the same levels of hormones are present when one ovary is left in place -- that is, removal of one ovary does not result in a reduction in monthly hormone production, and PMDD continues.

Therefore, both ovaries must be removed for surgical treatment to be effective.


-Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, PhD May 13th, 2020

Visit www.iapmd.org/surgery for lots of evidence-based information and resources for those considering, going through or recovering from surgery for PMDD/PME.

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