My daughter wants to have her ovaries removed - what should we do?

Question

She's 19, and complains of very painful, excruciating period pains and she's very certain she does not want to give birth to any children in the future, sayingshe couldn't cope and it's not for her.

What should she do and what are the risks? I only want what's best.

Yes, her periods are regular, at least every once a month, although she did go through time when she didn't have any menustration for a year, that she was very happy about.

Yes, she is overweight and no, she'll not change her mind about kids - her exact words were 'they make you fat, give you stress and are expensive. I don't mind looking after some or holding one, but for me to actually give birth to mine is out of the question."

Answer 1

Pain in and around the ovaries is normal at various times in the cycle, but severe pain could indicate a larger problem, including, but not limited to things like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and endometriosis. Is your daughter's cycle regular? Is she overweight? Has she seen her doctor about this pain?

At her age, no doctor is going to allow that kind of operation - period. At this point, she has not even finished developing, and the ovaries (and their hormones) are essential for development. Without those hormones, she would go into menopause, and she could be opening herself up to a plethora of much more unpleasant problems, including different cancers and osteoporosis at a very young age! Our bodies contain ovaries for a reason, and it would be very dangerous to consider removing them at such a young age. Her health is at stake, and as her mother, I know you only want to do what's good for her.

Your daughter really needs to see her doctor about this. They could run some tests and determine the cause of the pain, which would allow them to treat it appropriately. Your daughter could also consider getting on hormonal birth control, which can regulate the hormones in her body and help ease uncomfortable side effects of hormonal imbalances. Only her doctor can tell you what's best for her at this point, so please get on the phone with him/her today and make your daughter an appointment to see them. Left untreated, problems can increase and cause more serious conditions. But the sooner you see the doctor, the sooner something can be done to make it better and prevent further complications.

Hope this helps! And best of luck to you and your daughter!

Answer 2

I am 21 and said my whole life i don't want children, saying the same as your daughter. I think that she should speak to her doctor and possible someone else to help her understand what it is she wants. The only way a doctor would even consider taking out her ovaries is if it was life threatening.

I have over the past year or so begun to change my mind on having children, and she will to, when she sees how happy it can make you feel. Maybe she should spend time with children of all ages at separate times, looking after them. My sister had a baby and i see how happy it makes her, and how happy he is, it's wonderful and i am now planning to have children later in life. I also get extreamly bad period pains, but there are many different ways that can help ease the pain. Has her doctor given her anything for the pain?

Answer 3

Put her on Lybrel (its birth control) it will eliminate her periods and yet allow her to change her mind and become pregnant later in life is she so chooses.

I don't know what country you live in so if Lybrel is not available in your country you can also use any regular birth control pill with one exception, if the pill come in a 21 day pack - don't stop taking the pill for 1 week between packs, start the next pack as soon as the first is done. If the birth control pills come in a 28 day pack - stop taking that pack after the first 21 days and start the a new one.

To often women believe that they are having a period when they are on the birth control pill. That simply isn't true, they bleed because their body is going through a withdrawal from the hormones in the birth control pill. There is no reason anyone experiencing that much pain from a period should go through it nor is there any reason someone should have to even consider having their ovaries removed to stop the pain.

Answer 4

There is not a doctor alive who will remove a 19 yr old ovaries because of period pain. There are very important function of the ovaries other than releasing an egg once a month. She needs to contact an OB/GYN about getting on the pill that would stop ovulation and stop her period for months at a time. She may very well change her mind as she gets older, if not she still needs to keep her ovaries.

Answer 5

Removing the ovaries would lead her into instant menopause. An oopherectomy isn't the answer. Has she been assessed by a gynecologist? She might have fibroids or polyps, or even endometriosis. What your daughter needs to do is to consult with a gyn, have an ultrasound done, and possibly a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis.

These things are able to be managed, once they are diagnosed. A doctor will not remove a 19 year old girl's ovaries.

Answer 6

well my sister gets excruciating period pains too. Instead of removing her ovaries you should give her some pain pills and have her lay on a heating pad she should be fine but if shes not ask her doctor want to do with the pain. The doctor should be able to tell you what to do. She might be saying she does not want any kids now but later on when shes older she might change her mind

Answer 7

First of all, she's only 19, so I consider it a good thing that she doesn't want children right now. She might change her mind. I personally talk to her Gyn doctor about it. See what their suggestions are. Explain to her that many women have painful periods, and that it can be helped with medication. Sometimes birth control can help. Also rx strength Ibuprofen or Motrin. After speaking with her doc, she might even get a rx painkiller. Of course not a very strong one, but nonetheless, one that will help her cramping.

Answer 8

dont think ovaries would be removed for period pain.she needs to get the problem checked by a doctor and some appropriate medication for whatever is diagnosed. much as she will deny it she will probably change her mind about having kids in the future and anyway after childbirth a lot of people find their periods are better. if she had her ovaries removed she would go through the menopause and im sure she will find that just as bad as painful periods!

Answer 9

She definitely needs to go see a competent gynecologist. She may have something seriously wrong with her that needs to be treated right away. I know what it is like to have such excruciating pain that it makes you want to yank your uterus, ovaries, and tubes out. When I was in that much pain, I had Endometriosis. My doctor treated it and ever since then I have felt soooo much better. Your daughter doesn't need to suffer with that much pain because there are treatments. Beware that there are doctors that don't give a care about a woman's pain, so if you run into one of those move immediately on to another doctor.

Answer 10

Once your daughter has removed her ovaries, she will function like a post menopausal woman. Which will probably mean that a good part of her youthful flow is over. She may age a little faster, something that I noticed in my friends after ovaries were removed. And if she thinks that painful periods are a b#@#h just wait until the possible hormonal dryness interferes with her sex life. Tell your daughter that life is good, Keep everything in tact just the way the good Lord gave to her. When its time to close down the ovaries, they'll do that without her intervention. Don't mess with mother nature, unless she tries to kill you first.