NICE says hysterectomy must be last option for heavy menstrual bleeding

doi:10.1136/bmj.39105.376412.DB

BMJ 2007;334:175 (27 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.39105.376412.DB

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NICE says hysterectomy must be last option for heavy menstrual bleeding

Susan Mayor

¹ London

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

Hysterectomy should generally be consideredonly as a last option in treating women with heavy menstrualbleeding, says guidance for the NHS in England and Wales issuedthis week by the National Institute for Health and ClinicalExcellence (NICE).

The guidance advises that hysterectomy shouldbe considered only when heavy menstrual bleeding has a severeeffect on a woman's quality of life and other treatments arenot suitable or not working—or for a woman wanting tostop her periods completely. It can also be considered for womenwho fully understand the risks and benefits and who ask fora hysterectomy or for those not wanting to have a child.

Mary Ann Lumsden, professor of gynaecology andmedical education at the University of Glasgow and chairwomanof the guideline development group, said, "In the early 1990sit was estimated that at least 60% of women presenting withheavy menstrual bleeding would . . . [Full text of this article]

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