Psychiatric Illness after Hysterectomy

Abstract

It was found that 7 % of 729 women who had had a hysterectomy were referred to a psychiatrist within a mean period of four and a half years after the operation. This rate was two and a half times higher than the incidence of psychiatric referral after cholecystectomy, and almost three times higher than the expected incidence among women of similar age in the general population. Eighty per cent. of the psychiatric referrals occurred within two years of hysterectomy. The most frequent psychiatric symptom was depression. The incidence of psychiatric referral after hysterectomy was more than twice as high among patients without significant pelvic pathology as among those with significant pathology. Fifty-seven per cent. of all patients with a previous psychiatric history were re-referred after the operation. Thirty-five per cent. of all women who were separated or divorced at the time of operation were referred to a psychiatrist after hysterectomy. Conclusions were drawn for preoperative assessment and for follow-up after hysterectomy. © 1968, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.