Problems after hysterectomy. A comparative content analysis of 60 interviews with cancer and non-cancer hysterectomized women.

ABSTRACT

Sixty patients who had undergone hysterectomy for neoplastic pathologies (30 cases) and benign pathologies (30 cases) were interviewed with the aim of understanding the relationship they had with the disease, the loss of the uterus and sexuality. Out of the cancer group 21 cases showed fear of recurrence of the disease, 19 cases showed sexual dysfunctions, while only 9 patients referred to having experienced the loss of the uterus as a traumatic event for their femininity. Non-cancer patients revealed reactive sexual difficulties. Out of this sample, 17 cases described their sexual life as unsatisfying.