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Glossary - H
Hormone: A chemical substance released inside the body that controls and maintains the activity of cells or organs.
Hormone Replacement Therapy – HRT: Medication used to mimic the effects of oestrogen. It is prescribed after a hysterectomy or during menopause (either natural or medical) to counteract the effects of the menopause. Those effects include hot flushes, night seat, loss of libido, mood swings, loss of bone density and vaginal dryness. HRT has its own risks and should be carefully considered before taking.
Hysterectomy: The removal of the womb from the body during surgery. There are several different ways this is done, see below:
Total hysterectomy: The removal of the womb (uterus) and the cervix, under anaesthetic.
Sub-total hysterectomy: The removal of just the body of the womb (uterus).
Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy: Removal of the womb (uterus), cervix, ovaries and fallopian tubes.
Hysterectomy can be done with or without removing the ovaries. If the ovaries (or disease elsewhere) are left in place then endometriosis is likely to continue occurring. Some women then need a further operation to remove the ovaries later. Hysterectomy is not the right operation for everyone and not a decision to make lightly. Consider all options and discuss things fully with your GP or Gynaecologist. Remember that a hysterectomy is irreversible. Hysterectomy can treat adenomyosis effectively and is an effective treatment for endometriosis if all the remaining deposits of the disease (which can be hard to find) are removed along with the ovaries.
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