Hysterectomy is associated with postmenopausal body composition characteristics

The impact of hysterectomy without oophorectomy and with no malignant purpo se on body composition and postmenopausal weight gain was tested in 184 Vie nnese females aged between 47 and 57 years (mean 52.9). Hysterectomized wom en were significantly heavier than those who experienced a spontaneous meno pause (controls). The amount of fat tissue, especially in the abdominal reg ion, was significantly higher in hysterectomized women. Furthermore, they w ere reported to have experienced a significantly higher weight gain since m enopause (9.1 versus 6.0 kg). No significant differences in bone mass were found. Psychological stress factors and hormonal changes following hysterec tomy are discussed as possible causes of these differences.