15/06/2026
“Are you absolutely sure you’ve finished having your family?”
It’s a question I was asked more than once when the conversation turned to a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Particularly because I had one pregnancy, with my one daughter.
After years of living with severe endometriosis, surgeries, treatments, medications, and ongoing symptoms, some people might assume the decision would be straightforward.
It wasn’t.
What I want to raise awareness of is just how seriously these decisions are taken by good healthcare professionals.
My consultant was incredibly thorough and cautious. There was no rushing into surgery, no pressure, and no assumptions. Instead, there were very detailed conversations about what the operation involved, the potential benefits, the limitations, and the risks.
We discussed the reality that a hysterectomy is major, life-changing surgery. We talked about surgical risks, recovery, the impact of removing my ovaries, surgical menopause at an early age, long-term health considerations, and the fact that surgery is not guaranteed relief for endometriosis symptoms, and there is no cure for the condition.
But alongside all of that, one question kept coming back:
“Have you definitely finished having your family?”
Not because anyone was trying to change my mind, but because once those organs are removed, there is no going back.
The conversations were sensitive, respectful, and very emotional.
They recognised that these decisions aren’t just medical, they’re deeply personal.
They touch on identity, fertility, future possibilities, relationships, hopes, and grief for choices that may no longer be available.
I think it’s important for people to understand that when someone undergoes a hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, at a younger age, it is rarely a decision made lightly. It often comes after years of living with a condition that has already taken so much.
I am grateful for a consultant who took the time to ensure I understood every aspect of the decision, challenged me to think very carefully, answered my questions honestly, and treated such a significant choice with the seriousness it deserved.
Because informed consent isn’t just signing a form.
It’s having the time, support, and information needed to make one of the biggest decisions of your life.
For anyone having similar conversations, take your time, ask every question, and remember that your feelings about these decisions matter just as much as the medical facts.💕💫