Objective: To evaluate the psychiatric morbidity ( anxiety and depression) in women underwent an abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy of a benign indication
Design and setting: This is a prospective observational study which was done in the Obstetric and Gynecology and Neuropsychiatry Departments, Sohag University Hospital.
Methods: One hundred and two women were scheduled for undergoing hysterectomy after fulfilling the inclusion criteria. All women underwent a through history taking and complete clinical and psychiatric examination. General health questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to assess women with psychiatric co-morbidity before and after the operation. All women with psychiatric co-morbidity was re-evaluated by Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) before and after hysterectomy.
Results: On screening for psychiatric co-morbidity using the GHQ-28 for the 96 women who completed the follow up protocol of the study 35(36.46%) scored ≥4 (Group I) with psychiatric co-morbidity, and 61(63.54%) scored <4 (Group II) without psychiatric co-morbidity. GHQ-28 was reapplied to all women in group II “post-operatively” where 48 (78.69%) scored ≥4 (group IIa) and 13(21.31%) scored <4 (group IIb. Severe anxiety and depressive symptomes were the most common presentation after the operation and represented 8(40%) and 8(53.3%).of patients of group I, respectively. In patient of group II (without psychiatric morbidity) after hysterectomy, depressive and anxiety symptoms was the most common presentation in nulliparous women and was found in 7(63.64%) and 3(27.27%), respectively. However, the least depressive and anxiety symptoms was observed in women with ≥5 and was found in 12(38.7%) and 9(29.03%), respectively. It is not worthy that the majority of women free from psychiatric co-morbidity was observed in women with parity ≥5 and represented 10(32.5%) of patients.
Conclusion and recommendation. It was clear that there was a definite significant relation between hysterectomized women and psychiatric morbidity of a depressive and anxiety nature. So we recommend that before hysterectomy in benign conditions, gynecologists should exhaust great effort of using the available recent less invasive modalities of treatment as a first option.