News: Early bilateral oophorectomy increases cardiovascular mortality

Removing both ovaries before age 45 increases a woman's risk for death from cardiovascular disease by about 44%.

Removal of both of a woman's ovaries before age 45 increases her risk for death from cardiovascular disease by about 44%, according to the findings of the Mayo Clinic Cohort Study of Oophorectomy and Aging.

The study included 1,274 women with unilateral oophorectomy, 1,091 women with bilateral oophorectomy, and 2,383 referent women.

While the women who received unilateral oophorectomy had a lower risk for cardiovascular mortality than the referent women (HR 0.82; 95% CI; 0.67–0.99; P=.04), those who received bilateral oophorectomy had an HR for death from cardiovascular disease of 1.44 (95% CI; 1.01–2.05; P=.04). Furthermore, those who did not receive estrogen replacement through age 45 years or longer were at even higher risk (HR 1.84; 95% CI; 1.27–2.68; P=.001), while those that did had an HR of 0.65 (95% CI; 0.30–1.41; P=.28).

Rivera CM, Grossardt BR, Rhodes DJ, et al. Increased cardiovascular mortality after early bilateral oophorectomy. Menopause. 2009;16:15-23. Parker WH, Manson JE. Oophorectomy and cardiovascular mortality: is there a link? Menopause. 2009;16:1-2.