BMJ  2004;328:107 (10 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7431.107-c

Letter

Hysterectomy and sexual wellbeing

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The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Roovers et al take subjective distress into account in their examination of sexual outcomes after hysterectomy.¹ This is a much needed aspect of the research on this topic. I am disappointed that, as so often in this type of research, the method does not include the use of a well validated interview or self report measure to assess sexual function.

I am concerned about the interpretation of the results for the women who developed new sexual symptoms after their operation. New sexual problems developed in 9 (23%) patients after vaginal hysterectomy, 8 (24%) patients after subtotal abdominal hysterectomy, and 12 (19%) patients after total abdominal hysterectomy. For previously asymptomatic women undergoing hysterectomy the rate of new sexual problems (about one out of five) is troubling and does not imply that sexual symptoms after hysterectomy are rare. Moreover, more women than not (according to the paper, more than 50%) . . . [Full text of this article]

University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA a.bradford@mail.utexas.edu

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