Hysterectomy Tied to Long-Term Risk for Depression, Anxiety

According to a study published online in Menopause, hysterectomy, even with ovarian conservation, is associated with an increased long-term risk for de novo depression.

Shannon K. Laughlin-Tommaso, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues used data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project records-linkage system to identify 2,094 women who underwent hysterectomy with ovarian conservation for benign indications at age ≥18 years between 1980 and 2002.

The researchers found that during a median follow-up of 21.9 years, women who underwent hysterectomy at any age experienced increased risks for de novo depression (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.26; absolute risk increase, 6.6 percent) and anxiety (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.22; absolute risk increase, 4.7 percent). Younger age at hysterectomy was associated with a significantly increased risk for depression, but the risk for depression did not vary significantly by indication for hysterectomy.

"Our study shows that removing the uterus may have more effect on physical and mental health than previously thought," Laughlin-Tommaso said in a statement. "Because women often get a hysterectomy at a young age, knowing the risks associated with the procedure even years later is important."

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