Hysterectomy and Osteoporosis

i wouldnt think so - it wouldnt have anything to do with how your bones absorb calcuim would it?

I think that the only way to keep that at bay would be to take lots of calcium and Vit D (i think helps it to absorb?) and keep yourself as healthy as possible.

interesting question!!!

Thank Chels, Great answer abt the Calcium and Vitamin D!

The reason I ask is, with Menopause and a hysterectomy (ovaries still in place), does the Estrogen play any role?

What abt Omega 3s? Any idea? Would that help with anything?

Here's the answer:

A hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) will have no bearing on Osteoporosis. Bone strength is attained by the Estrogen in the body (along with Calcium & Vit D) and other endogenous hormones (Parathyroid Hormone). For academic purposes, some of the blood flow going to the ovary (about 5-10%) is eliminated when a hysterectomy is performed which may "weaken" the ovary's longevity..

Now, an Oophorectomy (removal of the Ovaries) while one is not menopausal (after menopause the Ovaries don't produce Estrogen) can significantly increase the risk of Osteoporosis in the latter years given some Estrogen deficiency that is encountered. Moreover, there is some Cardiac Protection that Estrogen provides pre-menopausally that would no longer be present, let alone other symptoms of removal of ovaries (hot flushes, mood swings, dry skin...) Some of these may be offset by the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which is being determined to be safe when started early in menopause or right after oophorectomy, but always best to talk to one's doc further about this given much of the bad press HRT received several years ago..

Omega 3s won't necessarly help much with this..they have been considered somewhat as blood thinners and may help offset cardiac effects, but some studies note there may also be a minor increase with strokes when takin for the long term...

Take home info on Omega3s, lot's of info showing benefits and risks when taken for years, and best to talk with your doc about this

If one does have Osteoporosis determined by either fractures or DEXA scan, then along with Calcium and Vitamin D (no other vitamin may help tremendously), the use of a Bisphosphonate (Fosamax for example), a SERM (Raloxifene for example), Parathyroid Hormone or Calcitonin should be considered, with most starting out with a Bisphosphonate and/or Estrogen

Thank you so much Dr Q! The uestion was on behalf of my mother and shesays she hasnt heard anyoneexplain this much to her ever! She says a big thankyou as well.

yw HopeN,

We encourage these types of questions on FertilityTies since we're Reproductive Endocrinologists, Menopausal issues are also part of our specialty and know much about this...moreso than most doctors including general Ob/Gyns

We hope there are more users with these types of questions and hope to provide answers obviously to this large segment of the population that like you see, have a multitude of questions and can't find answers...Let her know that we're here for her and hope to soon enough have a subsection of information specifically for an audience just like her (that's our goal and dream at FertilityTies)