There are many life long functions of the uterus that are not generrally discussed, but are very important for women to know. The uterus is a hormone responsive, reproductive sex organ that supports the bladder and the bowel. Women who experience uterine contractions during orgasm will not experience them after the uterus is removed. During a total hysterectomy the vagina is shortened, made into a closed pocket that is sutured shut at the top. Support to the bladder and bowel is compromised. If only the uterus is removed a woman has a 3X greater risk of heart disease. If the ovaries are removed the risk is 7.2X greater. These are but a few of the major aftereffects of hysterectomy that are well documented in medical literature.

I am the president of the Hysterectomy Educational Resources and Services (HERS) Foundation. We produced the video, “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” at htttp://www.hersfoundation.org/anatomy, which has been an extremely successful educational tool for women to learn about the life long functions of the uterus and ovaries.