Updated March 24th, 2020

Terrible Dilemma For Women — Removing Ovaries to Decrease Cancer Risk May Put Us at Risk for Heart Disease: Study

New research looked at women who had ovaries removed and a family history of heart disease

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Link Between Removing Ovaries and Risk of Heart Disease

Several studies in the past have found that women who had their ovaries removed due to cancer risk were at an increase risk for heart disease
The new study looked at women who had their ovaries removed at a young age (before 45) and had a history of heart disease in the family
Authors say these women definitely have a higher risk of dying of heart disease

New research is indicating that women who have preventative surgery, removing their ovaries due to cancer risk, are actually increasing their risk for another major health issue — heart disease. The research was published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), and found that women who had both ovaries removed before age 45 and had a family history of heart disease were more likely to die from cardiovascular issues.

There’s been an ongoing debate about whether removing the ovaries before age 45, or the natural onset of menopause, makes a woman more susceptible to heart disease, study authors pointed out.

“This study provides additional evidence that removal of the ovaries before the natural age of menopause is associated with multiple adverse long-term health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and early mortality and should be strongly discouraged in women who are not at increased genetic risk for ovarian cancer,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director, said in a press release for the study.

Study authors say the findings highlight the importance of considering the potential risks before making the decision to have ovaries removed, an operation called an oophorectomy.

When Should Women Consider an Oophorectomy?

A woman’s doctor may recommend a prophylactic (or preventative) oophorectomy if she carries a BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation — both of which significantly increase a woman’s risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer.

Doctors often recommend women have fallopian tubes (as they are attached to the ovaries) removed as well, according to the American Cancer Society. Removing both ovaries and the fallopian tubes is a procedure called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. In addition to significantly reducing a woman’s risk of getting ovarian cancer, some studies even suggest that removing the ovaries can decrease breast cancer risk as well.

However, the procedure puts women into menopause immediately — and the side effects of this is another thing to discuss with your doctor, particularly for younger women considering an oophorectomy.

What’s the Significance of the New Findings?

For women considering a prophylactic oophorectomy because of a genetic mutation or a strong family history of cancer, the risk of heart disease is definitely something to discuss with your doctor.

Study authors note that there has been much debate in the medical community about whether removing the ovaries before the natural onset of menopause, because it alters a woman’s exposure to certain ovarian hormones, does effectively increase a woman’s risk of heart disease. While there have been several studies to suggest it does, in fact, increase the risk, this new research only found a correlation between women with a family history of early onset heart disease (relatives that experienced the disease before age 50) and who had their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed before age 45.

Still, the correlation was clear. And study authors advise women to be cautious when considering a procedure such as an oophorectomy, especially if it was a first-degree relative who experienced early-onset heart disease.