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More than 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the U.S. As many as half of hysterectomies for benign indications include bilateral oophorectomy, even though removal of the ovaries can lower levels of circulating androgens by as much as 50% in postmenopausal women — a change that could attenuate libido and interfere with sexual function.
To determine how removal of the ovaries affects sexual health in older women, investigators conducted a cross-sectional analysis of survey responses from 1352 U.S. women (age range, 57–85) who were enrolled in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Of these, 356 (26%) reported having had bilateral oophorectomies. The primary outcome, sexual ideation at least once monthly, was chosen …