1/10 women undergo the uterus removal operation

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If this was not alarming enough, The proportion was highest in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh where at least one in five women above 45 had the surgery. In Andhra Pradesh (23.1 per cent) and Punjab (21.2 per cent) at least one in every five elderly women had undergone the surgery.

It is found that around 11% above 45 age has gone through this surgery which is also known as hysterectomy.

What is a hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the uterus. There a several types of hysterectomy, depending on what’s removed:

A partial hysterectomy removes the uterus but leaves the cervix intact.
A standard hysterectomy removes both uterus and cervix.
A total hysterectomy removes the uterus, cervix, and one or both ovaries and fallopian tubes.

What are the short-term side-effects?

Having a hysterectomy can cause several short-term physical side effects. Some may also experience emotional side effects during the recovery process.

The uterus is a crucial organ for pregnancy. Removing it means that you won’t be able to get pregnant, which can be a hard adjustment for some. You’ll also stop menstruating after having a hysterectomy. For some, this is a huge relief. But even if you’re feeling relieved, you can still experience a sense of loss

The lowest proportion of women got hysterectomy in the north-eastern states of India. In Assam, 3.3 per cent, in Arunachal Pradesh 3.1 per cent, in Nagaland 1.7 per cent and in Meghalaya just 0.92 per cent underwent the operation.

What appears truly shocking is that, a higher proportion of women (15 per cent) went for the operation in urban India, where the level of education is higher among women, compared to rural India (10 per cent), the report said. The major reason for the surgery among urban women was uterine fibroids while that among rural women was menstrual disorder.

Let us look at the reasons why this surgery is performed?

Cancer that contributes to 1.8 per cent
Uterine prolapse (sliding of the uterus from its normal position into the vaginal canal) contributes to 14 per cent
Excessive menstrual bleeding or pain which contributes to about 29 per cent of all hysterectomies in elderly women
Uterine disorders (rupture) or injury that contribute to 7 per cent

Are there any health risks?

Hysterectomy is a major surgery. Like all surgeries, it comes with a number of immediate risks. These risks include:

Major blood loss
Damage to surrounding tissues, including the bladder, urethra, blood vessels, and nerves
Blood clots
Infection
Anesthesia side effects
Bowel blockage

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October is hailed as Breast Cancer Awareness month and is dedicated to creating awareness about the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states breast cancer as the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year, and cause of the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. Early diagnosis has been determined to be key in cancer treatment by reducing barriers to care and/or improving access to effective diagnosis services. If breast cancer is identified at an early stage, it allows more effective treatment and reduces the risks of death to a great extent. Screening and testing women to even with no symptoms is vital and using tools like mammography, clinical breast exam and breast self-exam.

This month we bring to you stories of some popular women who fought their own breast cancer battles and conquered it, showing many others out there that resilience and courage can be key to fighting a deadly disease and if they can do it, so can many others. They prove that there is a life after it too.

Mumtaz

The famous yesterday actress Mumtaz who gave hits like Khilona, Apna Desh, Roop Tera Mastana, revealed recently that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 2000 when she was 54, after identifying a malignant lump in her breasts. She overcame it with determination and family support after medical intervention and rounds of chemotherapy. Mumtaz quoted in a media interview, “I don’t give up easily. Even death will have to fight me.”

Martina Navratilova

The Wimbledon tennis champion was diagnosed with a non-invasive form of cancer, called ductal carcinoma in situ, which was detected during a mammogram in 2010. The cancer was surgically removed followed by radiation treatments, and Martina, who said she skipped her mammogram for several years, urged women to get the test done regularly.

Christina Applegate

Christina Applegate, who played Jennifer Aniston’s sister in the series Friends has undergone a double mastectomy after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. She had inherited the BRCA1 genetic mutation, a trigger for breast cancer, which her mother is also a survivor. In 2009, she founded Right Action for Women, which assists women at increased risk for breast cancer who don’t have the insurance or financial means to cover the high costs of breast screenings.

Sheryl Crow

Singer and a Grammy award winner Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 at the age of 44 and underwent minimally invasive surgery and radiation. “With your diagnosis comes a lesson, and for women who’ve shared their lesson with me, it’s always the same,” she told in a media interview. “Women are overachievers. We take care of the people around us while we work and do a thousand [other] things.” But she women must learn “to put on their oxygen mask first before putting it on anyone else.”

Gautami Tadimalla

Famous south Indian actress Gautami was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 35 and overcame it. She is known for her films Apoorva Sagodhararargal, Raja Chinna Roja, Dharma Durai, and Iruvar. She has also done Bollywood films Janta Ki Adalat, Pyar Hua Chori Chori, and Teesra Kaun? and also became a costume designer later.

“I received my diagnosis of breast cancer on a Valentine’s Day”, she wrote in her blogpost Life again in 2016. “I guess. I was fortunate. I had loved ones around me, supporting me in whatever way they could. And through it all was my daughter, who walked with me every step of the way”. She has found an NGO Life Again Foundation.

Tahira Kashyap

Actor Ayushman Khurana’s wife Tahira Kashyap has been in the news recently for her diagnosis of breast cancer and how she battled it bravely. Tahira had “stage 0” breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy procedure. She has a show, “My Ex-Breast”, a 7-episode series on Audible Suno, where she talks about fighting cancer and its effect on her family. She has also turned author with her recent book, 12 Commandments of Being a Woman.

These women have only fought through their sufferings to emerge stronger at life. Do you or someone you know has a cancer story to share? Let us know in the comments.