The Hysterectomy Hoax: A Leading Surgeon Explains Why 90% of All Hysterectomies are Unnecessary and Describes All the Treatment Options Available to Every Woman, No Matter What Age

West, Stanley Stanley West, Paula Dranov,

ISBN 10: 0385468199 / ISBN 13: 9780385468190

Published by Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group -, 1993

Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780385468190

Synopsis:

Declaring his objection to virtually all hysterectomies that do not involve cancer, a respected surgeon explains how and why the rate of hysterectomies is needlessly high, offering ways for women to empower themselves as they seek reasonable medical care. 30,000 first printing. $30,000 ad/promo.

Reviews: From the first page of this remarkably readable work, West, an infertility specialist and chief of reproductive endocrinology at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City, takes a stand against hysterectomies--the removal of the uterus. Working in collaboration with writer Dranov, he offers a powerful critique of the standard medical practice of performing hysterectomies as a panacea for a wide range of conditions, from uterine fibroids and PMS to endometriosis. West believes that in virtually all cases, except when a woman has cancer, the medical procedure is unnecessary. Indeed, according to the author, more than 90% of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the U.S. each year are unneeded. In addition to explaining how almost all such disorders can be corrected without the removal of the woman's uterus and/or ovaries, West describes how a woman's reproductive system normally functions. The author includes a lively discussion of how the traditional medical establishment and insurance companies exacerbate the situation by encouraging women to undergo unnecessary hysterectomies. The chapters covering problems for which hysterectomies are often recommended treatment, such as ovarian cysts, end with questions for women to ask their doctors about less invasive therapies. West attributes the over-use of the procedure to four factors: medical complacency; unawareness of the potential aftermath of hysterectomy; medical sexism; and a lack of communication between doctor and patient. He believes that "a well-informed woman who understands her own body and how it works has an enormous advantage." And his book has the information women need.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A gynecologist's emphatic appeal to women to refuse to have hysterectomies unless their lives are at stake--for besides being almost always unnecessary, hysterectomies are fraught with risks that women need to understand. West (chief of reproductive endocrinology at Manhattan's St. Vincent's Hospital), assisted here by medical-writer Dranov, combines his warning with clear advice on how to get proper gynecological care. In his experience, doctors are too ready to perform hysterectomies--a readiness that's fostered by both economics and their medical training. West carefully explains the various conditions for which American doctors often recommend hysterectomies--troublesome fibroids, endometriosis, prolapse of the uterus, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease--and, in considerable detail, describes alternative treatments for each. Since fibroids are the most common condition for which hysterectomy is urged, he devotes the most coverage to them. West describes and illustrates just what fibroids are; what tests and procedures can be performed to examine and assess them; what treatment options are available; and how they can be removed through a surgical procedure called ``myomectomy,'' which preserves an intact uterus. Noting the communication gap between doctors and patients, the author offers specific questions that a woman should ask her gynecologist when seeking treatment for any of the listed conditions, and he includes some cautionary notes about finding the right doctor and getting second (or third) opinions. (An appendix covers sources of further information, and--though West's writing is always clear--there's also a handy glossary of medical terms with understandable definitions.) Medical guidance that educates and empowers. (Twenty-five line drawings) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Although 600,000 American women have hysterectomies every year, only 10 percent actually need the surgery. West, an infertility specialist, makes a strong case against hysterectomy unless a woman has cancer. Providing clear, illustrated explanations of female anatomy and physiology, he also throughly discusses fibroids, endometriosis, uterine prolapse, ovarian cysts, and precancerous conditions. West offers effective treatments that enable women to preserve their ovaries and uterus--organs that are important for sexuality and hormone production even after menopause. He criticizes the medical establishment and insurance companies for choosing hysterectomy because it is an easier procedure and puts an end to further claims for gynecological problems. Although similar in scope to Ivan K. Strausz, M.D.'s You Don't Need a Hysterectomy ( LJ 3/1/93), this book is more militant in its opposition to this surgery. West includes lists of questions for women to ask their physicians, a glossary, and a short list of organizations for referral. An excellent addition to consumer health collections.
- Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Hysterectomy Hoax: A Leading Surgeon ...
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group -
Publication Date: 1993
Binding: hardcover
Condition: Very Good