Psychiatric morbidity following hysterectomy in Egypt.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate psychiatric morbidity in Egyptian women before and after hysterectomy for benign indications.


METHODS
A 2-year prospective observational study at Sohag University Hospital, Egypt, in which 96 women scheduled for hysterectomy were assessed for psychiatric comorbidity before and after the operation using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Beck Depression Inventory, and Hamilton Anxiety Scale.


RESULTS
Of these, 35 (36.5%) had scores of 4 or higher, signifying psychiatric comorbidity (group 1), and 61 (63.5%) had scores less than 4, suggesting no psychiatric comorbidity (group 2). Postoperatively, severe anxiety and depressive symptoms were common in group 1. In group 2, 48 (78.7%) of the 61 women had scores of 4 or higher. In that subgroup, depressive and anxiety symptoms were more common among nulliparas whereas women with a high parity experienced the least psychiatric comorbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
As women undergoing hysterectomy risk psychiatric morbidity, gynecologists should consider less invasive interventions to treat benign conditions.
Helmy
Yasser A
YA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt.
Hassanin
Ibrahim M A
IM
Elraheem
Taher Abd
TA
Bedaiwy
Ahmed A
AA
Peterson
Rachele S
RS
Bedaiwy
Mohamed A
MA
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged