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
Being a woman is challenging enough without also having to navigate the time after childbirth and before menopause. It’s especially difficult when you’re feeling like you’re not measuring up to other moms while going through menopause. These days, mothers and women going through menopause often feel like they’re not measuring up to other women. It can be difficult to talk about your depressive thoughts but you can set boundaries to create space for your own reflection. Menopause can also really help even discover issues that you didn’t know existed.
The three stages of menopause
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. It describes a time when hormones start to decline and menstrual cycles become erratic and irregular. You may start to experience side effects of menopause, like hot flashes or vaginal dryness.
Menopause occurs when you’ve stopped producing the hormones that cause your menstrual period and have gone without a period for 12 months in a row. Once this has occurred, you enter postmenopause.
Postmenopause is the time after menopause has occurred. Once this happens, you’re in postmenopause for the rest of your life. People in postmenopause are at an increased risk for certain health conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease.
In this article, we’ll explore three key things that we know about the transition into menopause for women and offer some tips on how to navigate it with ease.”
Prepare for the Transition to Menopause
Menopause is a natural process, but it can be an unpleasant one with symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. It’s important to start preparing for the transition so you can minimize these symptoms and feel your best. The most important thing to do is talk to your doctor about balancing your hormones. Some doctors may prescribe hormone therapy that will help reduce these symptoms or recommend lifestyle changes such as reducing alcohol intake and increasing sleep time. Healthy Skin
We all want healthy, beautiful skin at any age. Choosing foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals can help your skin stay healthy and smooth. Omega-3s also support healthy skin, hair, and nails.
The Importance of Exercise
Women’s Health (like Men’s) suffers when we don’t get enough exercise. Studies show that women who exercise regularly tend to have a lower risk of breast cancer, osteoporosis, and even depression. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week (or any combination of the two). Sugar. It’s not only the white granulated stuff that’s bad for you. Sugar is an additive in far too many foods these days (and a lot of them aren’t even sweet!). One of the biggest culprits is soda and other sugary drinks, which have been shown to be linked to breast cancer.
Anxiety can be triggered by many different things. It’s important to remember that it is those triggers, not the anxiety itself, which make an individual feel anxious. For some people, sitting in a public place alone can trigger feelings of anxiety and nervousness. For others, the sound of a slamming door or someone yelling their name can cause sudden and intense feelings of panic and dread. For some, anxiety is triggered by their thoughts, feelings, and memories. They can feel anxious about their past experiences, the future or even their imagined fears. For others, anxiety can occur while they are in the middle of an activity or conversation. An individual may not realize that a particular situation is causing them anxiety until they take a step back and reflect on it.
Why is it Important to Reduce Stress
When it comes to stress, there are many different types. Too much or too little of any type can lead to long-term health problems. With the right balance of nutrition, sleep, and exercise, you can reduce your stress levels. Addressing other underlying health issues will also help you to feel less stressed. With the right balance of nutrition, sleep, and exercise, you can reduce your stress levels. Addressing other underlying health issues will also help you to feel less stressed.
Why You Should Stop Comparing Your Body with Others
Comparing our bodies to others is often a time-consuming and demoralizing activity. While the goal might seem like a good idea in theory, it’s not something that we can really change. Not everyone will have the same body type. So, let’s stop comparing our bodies to others and instead focus on what we know we can change. Don’t beat yourself up about it, and don’t compare yourself to what you see around you.
How to Log Off of Social Media
In a world that seems to be getting hectic by the day, it can be very hard to slow down and take the time for your mental health. Social media can be a huge catalyst in our mental well-being. The more we’re scrolling through social media, the more we’re stressing ourselves out and making ourselves unhappy. It’s important to focus on what really matters and log off of social media when you need to get your head on straight.
Female Empowerment
Women’s empowerment is a phrase that can be applied to any number of things. It can mean taking control of one’s life and making the best decisions for oneself, or it can mean fighting for equality in a world that still sees women as unequal. Some may say that women’s empowerment is about owning your sexual orientation, your body, and your sense of self. Whatever it means to different people, however, one thing remains true: all women deserve to be empowered. Menopause can be one such time where you may not only feel empowered but also liberated. So enjoy the journey.
Tasneem Akbari Kutubuddin has done her masters in Journalism & Communication and has worked as a senior journalist, editor and columnist for leading publications like The Logical Indian, Deccan Chronicle, Worldwide Media Corporation, The Bridge and Provoke.
With Infano, she hopes to create more awareness about women’s health issues. Suffering with Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, she has also been advocating for its awareness through media.
