The Hysterectomy Hoax

The recent focus of a segment on Tom Brokaw's and Katie Couric's "Now" show on NBC-TV, The Hysterectomy Hoax persuasively argues that fewer than 10% of the more than 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the U.S. are necessary. Dr. Stanley West empowers women to take control of their health care. "The information women need".--Publishers Weekly.

Dr. West takes a firm stand against the surgery except in cases where a woman has cancer. He argues that the surgery can do more harm than good and presents unnecessary risks, except in those situatiions involving a life-threatening illness.

The recent focus of a segment on Tom Brokaw's and Katie Couric's "Now" show on NBC-TV, The Hysterectomy Hoax persuasively argues that fewer than 10% of the more than 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the U.S. are necessary. Dr. Stanley West empowers women to take control of their health care. "The information women need".--Publishers Weekly.

In this thoroughly updated edition of Hysterectomy: Exploring Your Options, gynecologists Edward E. Wallach, Esther Eisenberg, Isabel Green, and Stacey A. Scheib describe and explain every aspect of the procedure, including ʺ Symptoms of gynecological disorders that may require uterine fibroid removal or hysterectomyʺ The full range of diagnostic and therapeutic imaging techniques, including MRI-focused ultrasoundʺ Thorough explanations of specific alternative measures that may be used to avoid the need for hysterectomyʺ The various techniques for hysterectomy, including single-incision surgery and robotic hysterectomyʺ How to prepare for surgery and what to expect while in the hospitalʺ Details on the surgery and postoperative recovery, including information about pain medications, when to resume daily activities, how sexual function may be affected, future reproductive possibilities, and the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy.

Hysterectomy is performed more than any other surgical procedure for women, with the exception of the cesarean section. Authors Adelaide Haas and Susan L. Puretz, both professors in the field of health, have experienced hysterectomy firsthand. Dismayed by the limited information available to them, they collaborated on this comprehensive book about a critically important subject for women. THE WOMAN'¬?S GUIDE TO HYSTERECTOMY addresses common fears, expectations, and questions regarding such issues as what to ask your doctor, second opinions, preparations for surgery, sex and sexuality after surgery, and life after hysterectomy. Encouraging all women to become more actively involved in their own health care, this book is a practical catalog of the latest medical information and provides much-needed reassurance for women faced with this life-altering decision.‚Ä¢ Thoroughly revised to include the latest research and developments, including new treatment options and alternatives to HRT (hormone replacement therapy).‚Ä¢ Original edition sold 10,000 copies.

Taking her title from an ancient Greek belief that women's health problems were caused by "a wandering uterus" that needed to be confined and controlled, Meyer exposes the way in which myths and prejudice about female sexuality continue to influence the practice of law and medicine. Suitable for undergraduate courses as well as for generally interested reader, this book offers new insights while providing a wealth of up-to-date information. The text follows the reproductive cycle on three main parts: Political Issues of Pre-Conception, the Politics of Pregnancy, and The Politics of Motherhood. Throughout, Meyer argues passionately that, while technology and medicine must progress, they should not be allowed to do so at women's expense.

Arguing that giving estrogen replacement therapy to women after menopause is medically the wrong thing to do, Lee suggests that natural progesterone can prevent most of the unpleasant side effects of menopause, including osteoporosis and weight gain.

Recent scientific findings regarding the potential dangers associated with hormone replacement therapies bring renewed attention to the relationship between women's bodies and gender identity. In Am I Still A Woman? Jean Elson offers the testimony of women who have thought deeply about this issue as a result of gynecological surgery. For the women in this book, gynecological surgery for benign conditions proved to be a crisis that prompted questions about the meanings of sexual and reproductive organs in relation to being female and feminine. Is a woman who no longer menstruates still a woman? What about a woman who can no longer bear children? Elson looks closely at the differences in responses to understand the impact of surgery and lost fertility on sexuality and partnerships as well as the steps some women take to deal with a sense of a stigmatized identity. Whether they reconceptualized their old notions of what it means to be a woman or put a new focus on making themselves attractive, they made conscious efforts to reclaim their female identity and femininity. This book provides a wealth of insight into the choices women make regarding gynecological surgery and maintaining their sense of themselves as women. Author note: Jean Elson teaches sociology at the University of New Hampshire.