The reasons for getting an oophorectomy can vary, from chronic pelvic pain to ectopic pregnancy and more. It rarely causes serious complications. However, you’ll become less fertile afterward.
Oophorectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the ovaries in people who have them.
When you have one ovary removed, it’s called unilateral oophorectomy. Removal of both ovaries is called bilateral oophorectomy.
An oophorectomy may be used to treat:
In people who carry mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, an oophorectomy may be performed to lower your risk of ovarian cancer. This is considered an elective or prophylactic oophorectomy.
An oophorectomy can be performed alone, but it’s likely to be part of a multistep procedure. Whether it is depends on the reason for the surgery.
The surgery is often combined with a salpingectomy, a procedure to remove your fallopian tubes. When both procedures are done together, it’s called a salpingo-oophorectomy.
A salpingo-oophorectomy might be an option if an oophorectomy is performed to lower your risk of ovarian cancer because your ovaries and fallopian tubes share a blood supply.
A hysterectomy may be combined with an oophorectomy to lower your chances of ovarian cancer if you’re at particularly high risk.
A hysterectomy is an operation to remove your uterus. When possible, your ovaries are preserved to prevent premature or early menopause.
Discuss family planning and menopause
If you have a bilateral oophorectomy, you won’t be able to become pregnant. If you have a unilateral oophorectomy and still have your uterus, you’ll be less fertile but can still conceive.
If you want to become pregnant, ask your doctor to refer you to a fertility specialist before surgery so you understand your options.
An oophorectomy may cause an emotional reaction. If you have feelings of sadness or depression, consider speaking with a mental health professional to help you work through it.
Early menopause may also increase your risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, as estrogen is closely tied to heart and bone health.
Speak with your doctor about these health risks, as well as the potential benefits and risks of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) after the procedure.
Before the surgery
Before scheduling the operation, you’ll probably undergo a few tests, such as:
Tell your doctor about any medications you take, and ask if you should stop taking them before surgery. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the procedure and expected outcome.
The Affordable Care Act requires most insurance plans to cover female sterilization surgery without any out-of-pocket cost. But check with your insurer to understand the costs.
Get ready for a hospital stay
Your doctor will provide preoperative instructions so you’ll know what to do before your surgery day.
Here are a few tips to help you get ready:
- Arrange transportation home from the hospital because you won’t be allowed to drive.
- Ask someone to help out at home for a few days while you recover. Plan on not working for a few weeks.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions about when to stop eating and drinking (including water) before surgery. This is usually after midnight the night before. If you’re provided with a drink to clean out your intestines, follow those instructions carefully.
- Pack a hospital bag with personal items such as a toothbrush and hairbrush. Take a robe and slippers or socks, and the clothes you intend to wear home. It’s a good idea to bring something to pass the time with.
The operation can last anywhere from one to four hours, depending on the specifics of the surgery.
During an oophorectomy, a surgeon will create a vertical or horizontal incision in your lower abdomen. Vertical incisions offer the surgeon a better view, but horizontal incisions leave a less obvious scar.
The rest of the procedure will continue as follows:
- The surgeon first separates your abdominal muscles to reveal your ovaries.
- Next, they’ll tie your blood vessels to prevent bleeding.
- After the removal of your ovaries, your surgeon will use staples or stitches to close the incision.
With a laparoscope
An oophorectomy can also be performed with a laparoscope, a thin surgical instrument with a small camera. This allows the surgeon to see your organs on a monitor.
In this procedure:
- The surgeon inserts the laparoscope into a tiny incision near your belly button. They’ll make a few other tiny cuts and tie off blood vessels to prevent bleeding.
- They remove your ovaries through a small incision near the top of your vagina or through small cuts in your abdominal wall.
- They close off the cuts with a few stitches, and you’re left with several small scars.
Anesthesia
General anesthesia is required for abdominal surgery. Laparoscopic surgery can be performed under general or local anesthesia.
After the procedure, you’ll spend an hour or two in the recovery room. Once the anesthesia wears off, you’ll be transferred to a regular room.
That same day, you’ll be encouraged to sit up, stand, and even take a brief walk. You might have a temporary catheter. If all is well, it and your IV will be removed the following day.
You’ll probably stay in the hospital for a day or two following abdominal surgery. Laparoscopic surgery may require only one night in the hospital and may cause a little less postoperative pain.
You’ll be provided with postoperative instructions before leaving the hospital. Make sure you follow them closely. Your doctor will also advise you on how long you should wait to have sexual intercourse.
Speak with your doctor immediately if you:
- develop a fever
- have nausea or vomiting for more than a few days
- have more vaginal discharge or bleeding than expected
- have abdominal pain that doesn’t improve with medication or becomes worse
- develop redness, or other color changes, or swelling around the incision site
- have trouble urinating
- are coughing or have shortness of breath or chest pain
- feel depressed
Eat well and get plenty of rest to allow your body to heal. Frequent movement, such as walking, will help you avoid blood clots. Slowly build up your physical activity as advised.
Side effects of any surgery may include:
- allergic reaction to anesthesia
- infection
- bleeding
- blood clots
- damage to nearby organs
Serious complications after oophorectomy are rare, but you may be more prone to complications if you:
Other risks and side effects after the procedure may include:
- scarring or scar tissue formation
- pain at the incision site
- fatigue
- decreased appetite and fewer bowel movements
Report any usual or serious side effects to your doctor immediately.
Surgical menopause
If you had both ovaries removed, you’ll likely have symptoms of menopause due to the drop in your levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
This is because most of the production of these hormones takes place in your ovaries. Removing both will result in surgical menopause and the inability to become pregnant.
Common symptoms of menopause may include:
- hot flashes
- vaginal dryness
- changes in sex drive (libido)
- changes in mood
You may choose to start MHT, which is available as supplemental:
Speak with your doctor about the options that are available to you.
Menopause also means an end to menstruation and the need for birth control.
Recovery time is different for everybody. After laparoscopic surgery, you may be able to return to your typical routine 2 weeks after surgery. For abdominal surgery, it can take up to 6 weeks or more to fully recover.
Your doctor can give you an idea of recovery time based on your personal health profile.
If you had one ovary removed and still have your uterus, you’ll still have periods and will notice little change. If you had both ovaries removed, you’re in menopause.
Before getting an oophorectomy, which is the removal one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) ovaries, make sure you understand the risks and side effects.
Depending on the type of oophorectomy you receive, and whether it’s performed with a hysterectomy or salpingectomy, your chances of becoming pregnant decrease afterward. You may even begin menopause.