Bilateral oophorectomy at hysterectomy for benign disease increases all-cause mortality, coronary disease and lung cancer — roughly one extra death per nine operations (Parker 2013, Nurses' Health Study).

Original statement

باركر في Nurses' Health Study على 30,117 ممرضة وثّق ارتفاع الوفيات الكلية ومرض الشريان التاجي وسرطان الرئة بعد استئصال المبيضين الثنائي لمرض حميد.

verbatim according to source. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.

Translation

Bilateral oophorectomy at hysterectomy for benign disease increases all-cause mortality, coronary disease and lung cancer — roughly one extra death per nine operations (Parker 2013, Nurses' Health Study).

Origin

Source status

Archive editors

Attribution

Archive editors (eltayebat.com); not necessarily Elawady's own words

Origin

https://eltayebat.com/rule/unnecessary-organ-removal/

Attribution uncertainty

Editorial summary/narrative and study selection written by the archive operators; the archive states that the cited research documents harm independently of Dr. Diaa's words.

Claimed mechanism

Loss of ovarian hormones.

Claimed health effect

Higher mortality, CHD, lung cancer.

Population concerned

Women undergoing benign hysterectomy

Geographic restriction by Elawady

not applicable

Scientific assessment

Mostly true – Correct at its core, but with limitations or minor inaccuracies.

Certainty of evidence: low – Further research is likely to change the assessment considerably.

1. What was claimed?

Oophorectomy raises mortality, CHD and lung cancer; NNH about 9.

2. What is demonstrably correct?

All-cause death 16.8% vs 13.3% (HR 1.13); in women <50 never using estrogen HR 1.41 with NNH 8 (A-ORG-13); multimorbidity HR 1.22 (A-ORG-15); meta-analysis: total CVD HR 1.18, CHD 1.17 (I-ORG-10).

3. What is wrong or exaggerated?

The NNH '9' is not reported; the paper's NNH (8) is restricted to a subgroup and does not apply to all women. Oophorectomy also reduced ovarian cancer deaths (4 vs 44). In the meta-analysis (I-ORG-10), excess all-cause mortality was seen only for BSO before age 50 (HR 1.22, I2 85%) and not after 50 (HR 0.98, 0.91-1.05); lung cancer was not among the pooled outcomes, and no 'one extra death per nine operations' figure is supported; the same review reports strong reductions in ovarian cancer (HR 0.11) and breast cancer before 45 (HR 0.78).

4. What remains unclear?

Causality (reasons for oophorectomy unknown).

5. Which studies support it?

A-ORG-13, A-ORG-15, I-ORG-10.

6. Which studies contradict it?

I-ORG-10 (mortality heterogeneity; breast cancer benefit).

7. What applies to Germany and Europe?

Most cited cohorts are Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden) and directly European; RCTs from the UK and Finland are directly transferable. Guidelines in Europe also emphasize defined indications (not verified here in detail).

8. What is known about Egypt?

No Egypt-specific data on rates or outcomes of tonsillectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, splenectomy or thyroid surgery were identified in this review.

9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?

Removing healthy ovaries at benign hysterectomy in younger women has long-term costs; decisions should be individual.

Assessment details

Rationale for certainty of evidence

Consistent observational evidence and a meta-analysis for CVD; mortality evidence heterogeneous; NNH misquoted.

Source quality

Direction correct. 'One extra death per nine operations' is not in the paper; NNH 8 applies only to women <50 who never used estrogen.

Regional transferability

US data; European registers similar for CVD.

Individual exceptions

No excess mortality among estrogen users in Parker; oophorectomy lowers ovarian and (before 47.5) breast cancer death; women with high genetic risk (e.g., BRCA) are a different situation.

Regional scope of the claim

general (biological/medical)

Last reviewed

25 October 2026 provisional

In plain language

The archive says that removing both ovaries during a hysterectomy for a benign condition increases deaths and heart disease, with one extra death per nine operations. The direction is supported by large studies, especially for women under 50 who do not take estrogen. But the 'one in nine' figure is not in the study: the study gives one extra death per 8 operations only for that subgroup. Removing ovaries also lowered deaths from ovarian cancer.

Studies on this claim

Regional context

Germany / EU

Most cited cohorts are Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden) and directly European; RCTs from the UK and Finland are directly transferable. Guidelines in Europe also emphasize defined indications (not verified here in detail).

Egypt

No Egypt-specific data on rates or outcomes of tonsillectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, splenectomy or thyroid surgery were identified in this review.

What applies in my country?

General scientific assessment

Mostly true Direction supported; the 'one in nine' figure is misquoted and over-generalized.

This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.

References

1. Long-term mortality associated with oophorectomy compared with ovarian conservation in the nurses' health study.. Parker WH et al.. Obstet Gynecol 2013 · PMID 23635669 · DOI 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182864350
2. Accelerated Accumulation of Multimorbidity After Bilateral Oophorectomy: A Population-Based Cohort Study.. Rocca WA et al.. Mayo Clin Proc 2016 · PMID 27693001 · DOI 10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.08.002
3. Long-term outcomes of hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. Hassan H et al.. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024 · PMID 37364803 · DOI 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.06.043