6 Jan 2025 • As shown by a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Evidence, the occurrence of hysterectomy among Indian women aged 25 to 49 years was about approximately 4.8%.

The data were analyzed by various researchers from the International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai, and the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, for over 4.5 lakh urban and rural women aged 25 to 49 years and collected during the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey.

Key Findings:

• Women in the agricultural sector had a higher tendency to undergo hysterectomy compared to those in other occupations.
• The study also reported that women in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh underwent unnecessary hysterectomies, while surgical procedures were performed in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana due to high insurance coverage throughout the reproductive age.
• Previous studies suggested that the possible reasons for hysterectomies include dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, carcinophobia, unhygienic sexual and reproductive health practices along with perception of the uterus as a disposable organ after childbirth.
• Other factors, such as illiteracy in rural areas and membership in wealthy families, were also associated with higher rates of hysterectomies.
• The researchers also found that two-thirds of hysterectomies were performed in private health facilities.

This raises concerns about limited access to sexual and reproductive healthcare in rural areas and emphasizes the need for immediate action to address the rising rates of hysterectomy