Oophorectomy Side Effects and Warnings

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have an oophorectomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Changes in sex drive
• Hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause (if both ovaries are removed)
• Depression and other forms of psychological distress
• Reaction to anesthesia
• Bleeding
• Blood clots, particularly in the veins of the legs
• Damage to other organs
• Infection

Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Previous pelvic surgery or serious infection
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Diabetes

Be sure to discuss the risks with your doctor before the surgery.

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Persistent or increased vaginal bleeding or discharge
• Pain that you cannot control with the medicines you have been given
• Nausea and/or vomiting that you cannot control with the medicines you were given after surgery, or which persist for more than two days after discharge from the hospital
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from the incision sites
• Difficulty urinating
• Swelling, redness, or pain in your leg
• Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
• Feeling depressed

In case of an emergency, CALL 911.