Which statement best defines a hysterectomy?

• A. Removal of the ovaries.
• B. A non-surgical repair of the uterus.
• C. A procedure to remove the cervix only.
• D. A surgical procedure to remove the uterus, often used to treat adenomyosis.

Answer: (D)

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the uterus. This is why the statement describes it as a surgical removal of the uterus, often used to treat adenomyosis. Removing the uterus eliminates the source of heavy menstrual bleeding and pain associated with this condition, and it ends the ability to become pregnant and to menstruate. In some cases, the surgery may also involve removing the cervix or ovaries, depending on the specific situation and goals of treatment, which is why the broader concept includes variations. The other options don’t fit because removing the ovaries is an oophorectomy, not a hysterectomy; a non-surgical repair isn’t a hysterectomy; and removing only the cervix is a cervicectomy, not removal of the uterus.