NICE says hysterectomy must be last option for heavy menstrual bleeding

Hysterectomy should generally be considered only as a last option in treating women with heavy menstrual bleeding, says guidance for the NHS in England and Wales issued this week by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The guidance advises that hysterectomy should be considered only when heavy menstrual bleeding has a severe effect on a woman's quality of life and other treatments are not suitable or not working—or for a woman wanting to stop her periods completely. It can also be considered for women who fully understand the risks and benefits and who …