Effect of hysterectomy on time of ovarian failure

183

127

EFFECT OF HYSTERECTOMY ON TIME OF OVARIAN FAILURE

N.C. Siddle and P. Sarrell - London, U.K.

Although it

is

commonly taught that hysterectomy does not affect the age at

which ovarian failure occurs, few data are available to Since up

to

12% of

women may

support this assertion.

have had a hysterectomy by the age of 50, the

effect of this operation on ovarian function is important.

The time of ovarian failure was identified by in women below the

age

of

raised levels of gonadotrophins

47, and by either typical climacteric symptoms and

signs of oestrogen deficiency or raised gonadotrophins in women over 47.

The mean age of ovarian failure as judged by lower than

these criteria was significantly

that in our non-hystereotomizedclinic population (p <0.05) and 56 of

the 96 patients suffered ovarian failure before the age of 47.

There was a clear positive correlation between the age onset of

symptoms (p < 0.001) and

an

at

hysterectomy and

inverse correlation between the age at

hysterectomy and the interval to ovarian failure in the premature failure group. There was

no association between the indication for hysterectomy and the time of

onset of ovarian failure.

Although the

clinic population investigated was

findings suggest that hysterectomy may

highly

selective, these

adversely affect the time of ovarian

failure.

128

PSYCHOLOGICAL

EFFECTS

OF

PROGESTOGENS

ON

OESTROGEN-TREATED

POST-MENOPAUSALWOMEN

N. Siddle, V. Williams, 0. Young and M. Whitehead - London, U.K.

Different combinations of oestrogen and progestogen were studied in 254 women for the treatment of climacteric symptoms to

assess whether adverse symptoms

were associated with a particular type or dose of progestogen.