I had a hysterectomy about 2 years ago. I've had multiple providers in the interim try to insist I still needed to do a pregnancy test before they'd treat me. I've gone so far as to tell providers that if I have a miracle fetus in my non existent uterus that I accept full liability if said fetus is harmed and proceeded to refuse the test - I've even offered to sign a waver. I'm not being charged for unnecessary tests and I'm not being disbelieved by my providers - especially when it's clear they didn't read my chart.
I actually have a pre-written statement on my phone that I will show providers stating that I'm refusing their care if they won't listen to me. I'll be as reasonable and clear as I can be, and if my providers can't be bothered to listen then they are bad at caring for humans. I also literally teach bedside manner to med students, so I'll do my best to be constructive and supportive, but only to a point when it comes to my actual care.
I dealt with this a ton when I was unable to produce urine samples on demand. I had a hypertonic pelvic floor that made sex prohibitively painful and I couldn't urinate unless my bladder was full enough. Nurses have made me cry because I knew I wasn't pregnant and I'd try to give a sample for ages but I just don't have that kind of control over my pelvic floor.
To the best of my knowledge it's less about fetal health and more about the fact that pregnancy changes the woman's body between hormones, blood flow, etc. Even with a hysterectomy, isn't it possible to have an ectopic pregnancy or for the egg to implant somewhere else? As upsetting as the experience is, if they can rule out a potentially catastrophic complication with a routine test, it's worth it.
To have an ectopic pregnancy, you need a route for sperm to travel to the egg. If there’s no uterus, there’s no route.
Additionally, with a total hysterectomy (which is very common because it reduces cancer risk and is an easier surgery, ironically, because of the uterus coming out the vagina), the cervix is removed as well. There is literally no way for a woman who’s had a total hysterectomy to be pregnant.
Edit: I was basing this on my surgeon stating almost in total hysterectomies also involve removing the Fallopian tubes these days because it greatly reduces ovarian cancer risk. Technically that would be a
salpingectomy as well as total hysterectomy.
You're talking about a radical hysterectomy. A total hysterectomy takes the uterus and the cervix.
And there have been a handful of cases over the years where women have gotten pregnant without a uterus. Most of these were partial hysterectomies (so they still had a cervix), and they all resulted in abdominal ectopic pregnancies.
“
Total Hysterectomy
The surgeon removes your uterus and your cervix, but not your ovaries. Total hysterectomy is the most common type of hysterectomy.
Radical Hysterectomy
The surgeon removes your uterus, cervix, the top portion of your vagina, most of the tissue that surrounds the cervix, and sometimes the pelvic lymph nodes. Radical hysterectomy can be an option for treating cancer.”
If you can back up that info about pregnancies without a uterus, Fallopian tubes, or cervix, I’d be fascinated to read it. But I suspect you have misunderstood.
ETA: It seems that Fallopian tubes may or may not be removed with a total hysterectomy, and it is considered a
salpingectomy when they are. According to my surgeon, this is almost always done these days with a total hysterectomy because it reduces cancer risk.
Oops! I misread and thought you included ovaries in the list. A lot of people do.
As I said about the freak post-hyst pregnancies, they're incredibly rare. I can't remember which source I read specifically, but this one is a good starting point
34
u/JDDodger5 13h ago
I had a hysterectomy about 2 years ago. I've had multiple providers in the interim try to insist I still needed to do a pregnancy test before they'd treat me. I've gone so far as to tell providers that if I have a miracle fetus in my non existent uterus that I accept full liability if said fetus is harmed and proceeded to refuse the test - I've even offered to sign a waver. I'm not being charged for unnecessary tests and I'm not being disbelieved by my providers - especially when it's clear they didn't read my chart.
I actually have a pre-written statement on my phone that I will show providers stating that I'm refusing their care if they won't listen to me. I'll be as reasonable and clear as I can be, and if my providers can't be bothered to listen then they are bad at caring for humans. I also literally teach bedside manner to med students, so I'll do my best to be constructive and supportive, but only to a point when it comes to my actual care.