Sapna Desai, Roopal Jyoti Singh
Chapter 37 in Women and Health, 3rd Edition (2026)
Editors: Rebecca Troisi, Kathryn Rexrode, Yvette Cozier, Marlene B. Goldman
Hysterectomy is a commonly used surgery to treat gynaecological conditions. This chapter reviews the global epidemiology of hysterectomy, with a focus on understanding patterns in low- and middle-income countries especially India. While rates of hysterectomy have fallen in many settings, there are persistent inequities as well as pockets of high use across the world, where data are available. Variation across and within countries highlights the social, health system and individual factors that influence population prevalence beyond clinical practice. A consistent body of evidence on the long-term effects of hysterectomy on women’s cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health, particularly in younger women and when conducted with oophorectomy, underscores the importance of: standardising data collection and monitoring of hysterectomy; identifying alternative treatments; and expanding research to different country settings to track hysterectomy and its implications for women’s health through the life course.
Link: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/women-and-health/troisi/978-0-443-45863-7