Hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that is undertaken to treat certain problems with a woman's reproductive system. It involves the removal of the uterus and is performed to treat conditions such as excessive bleeding, fibroids, cancer, and others.

In the treatment of cancer, for example, it may be required to remove the uterus. The other reproductive organs, namely the fallopian tubes, the cervix, and the ovaries, may also be removed so that the cancer doesn't spread. The same may be performed to treat excessive bleeding.

A woman whose ovaries are removed immediately goes into menopause after the hysterectomy. In turn, this makes her incapable of bearing children.

But what are the effects of hysterectomy for a woman who's already in the menopause stage? Will hysterectomy after menopause have different effects on a woman? Well, the effects of hysterectomy after menopause vary among women, with some women experiencing significant changes in their bodies and others not.

Complete hysterectomy is when the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries are removed. Performing a complete hysterectomy on a woman in the peri-menopause or menopause stage makes the woman go into post menopause. During this stage, the woman's body no longer produces estrogen and progesterone, which results in the increased level of testosterone in the body. This can cause some masculine features such as more hair growth on the upper lip and chin to appear.

Vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes are also among the effects of a complete hysterectomy. To relieve a woman of these, she may need to undergo some kind of hormone replacement therapy. In addition, the woman may get an increased deposition of fat on the abdomen, thighs, and hips.

Psychological effects are immediately experienced by a woman who has undergone a hysterectomy after menopause. However, the bouts of depression that she experiences are mild and short-lived. Women who undergo hysterectomy after menopause usually don't experience many physical or psychological changes because the ovaries have stopped working by this time and having them removed doesn't matter anymore.