Papers of the Week

Unindicated hysterectomy is a disturbing problem in India. Women are counselled into the procedure by the fear of cancer, and by reinforcing their notion that unrelated somatic problems are solved by the removal of the uterus. This is a case of a woman from the state of Bihar, India, who was referred to us after an unindicated hysterectomy at the age of 24, performed as a first-line treatment for lower abdominal pain. This highlights the problem of rising hysterectomy in India and the lack of integrated treatment for women with the debilitating condition of chronic pelvic pain. Pelvic pain and vaginal discharge are often not indicative of pelvic inflammatory disease, and need a more considerate and broad-minded approach. Public health initiatives should take more account of women's lack of knowledge of reproductive health and make efforts to disseminate such information by the use of television, radio and newspapers in local languages.