Kashmir Sees Surge In 'Unwanted Hysterectomies'; Leading Gynaecologist Sounds Alarm

Srinagar: Kashmir has witnessed an alarming rise in the trend of unnecessary hysterectomies, raising concerns about the health implications for women undergoing this surgery.

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat's Parvez ud Din, gynaecologist and IVF expert Dr Sabahat Rasool spoke about reasons why more women are opting for hysterectomy and the risks involved.

“This trend was prevalent in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, but now Jammu and Kashmir, especially Kashmir, is also witnessing an alarming increase in the unwanted procedures,” she said.

Dr Sabahat said that earlier hysterectomy was done in rare cases and during any serious disease in the uterus.

“Both patients and experts would hesitate to go for the operations previously, but today, it seems this organ has become unnecessary for women,” she rued. “After giving birth to two to three children, women are willing to undergo hysterectomy to get rid of any uterine pain. They even force the doctor to remove the uterus, which is a matter of concern.”

According to her, many women think that after completing the family, the uterus has no function and is useless. “If a married woman experiences any irregularity and pain during her menstrual cycle, she associates these problems with the uterus and wants to get rid of it,” Dr Sabahat said.

The gynaecologist claimed that 70 per cent of the complaints or problems for which women come to the doctor for hysterectomy were due to invalid reasons that are not suitable for removing the uterus or due to which this operation cannot be performed in any case. “Just as caesarean sections are common among women in Kashmir, the trend of hysterectomy is increasing here too,” she said.

Highlighting the importance of each organ of the human body, Dr Sabahat cautioned against tampering with the organs unnecessarily. “Similarly, unnecessary removal of the uterus not only has negative effects on the physical health but also on the mental health of women. When the ovaries are also removed during this hysterectomy, it goes further and causes further complications,” she said.

Invoking a strong Supreme Court ruling over the issue, she said the court had given clear and unambiguous instructions that this operation should be monitored.

“Given the harmful impact on women’s bodies, the Supreme Court has asked hospitals to keep a record of every such procedure and mention a valid reason for it,” she said. “Considering the sensitivity of hysterectomy, this surgery has not even been kept under the ambit of the Golden Card health insurance.”

Dr Sabahat said that medical science has advanced so much that many diseases of the uterus can be completely cured with medicines, and in these diseases, hysterectomy is not required in any case.

“Yes, hysterectomy is generally recommended when other treatment options have failed or are not suitable for managing certain medical conditions,” she said.

While detailing symptoms and conditions, she said the uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous growths in the uterus, can cause symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure. “When fibroids are large or multiple, a hysterectomy may be the best option for relief. In cases of uterine cancer, this surgery may be part of a treatment plan to remove cancerous tissue and prevent the spread of the disease,” she said.

Other conditions include endometriosis, which occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, she said. “This can cause severe pain, irregular bleeding, and infertility. In cases where other treatments do not provide relief, a hysterectomy may be considered.”

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