A hysterectomy is the second most common surgery in women in the Untied States, according the Mayo Clinic,. A hysterectomy is an operation to remove the uterus. There are a variety of reasons to have a hysterectomy, ranging from cancer to endometriosis, chronic pain or excessive bleeding.

A hysterectomy is a major surgery that involves removal of all or part of a woman's uterus, and sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes as well. After a hysterectomy, a woman will no longer menstruate or be able to become pregnant.

Hysterectomy refers to surgical removal of the uterus, which by itself does not affect female hormone levels in premenopausal or postmenopausal women. However, the ovaries might also be removed as a companion procedure to a hysterectomy, if medically necessary.