Early Ovary Removal Linked to Heart Disease, Cancer

The removal of both ovaries at the time of hysterectomy is linked with an increased risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death.

The study, conducted by UK researchers, is the largest of its kind on the subject and compared women treated for a benign, or non-malignant disease, who had both ovaries removed and those who had none removed.

The researchers looked at 113,679 cases of women aged 35-45 during the 10-year period from April 2004 to March 2014. A third of the patients studied had both ovaries removed.

The study finds that women who had one or no ovaries removed were less likely to develop coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease) or cancer after hysterectomy than those who had both ovaries removed.

The researchers also found that fewer women who retained one or both ovaries compared to those who had both removed died within the duration of the study — 0.6 percent compared to 1.01 percent.

Although removal of both ovaries protects against subsequent development of ovarian cancer, the researchers believe premenopausal women should be advised that this benefit comes at the cost of an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, other more common forms of cancer, and an overall higher mortality rate.

The study appears in the journal BMJ.