If medically advised to undergo a hysterectomy, the recovery time that is taken after the surgery is one of the points of concern that women are likely to have.

What is the partial hysterectomy recovery time, what is the recovery time taken for complete or radical hysterectomy and is it better for the surgery to be assisted by laparoscope or not; these are the questions that may occur to women contemplating surgical removal or all of some of their reproductive organs.

Before looking at the partial hysterectomy recovery time and recovery time for other hysterectomies, let us look at some of the other facts relating to these surgical procedures.

When is a hysterectomy indicated?

This is considered serious abdominal surgery and should only be considered when other options will not work or have been exhausted.

For severe endometriosis, certain kinds of cancer, chronic pelvic pain, certain kinds of vaginal prolapse, and for certain problems relating to the placenta as well as for some preventive reasons, the surgery is indicated.

What are the different types of hysterectomy?

A radical hysterectomy removes all of the reproductive organs such as the uterus, the cervix, the upper vagina, the ovaries, fallopian tubes (usually). This kind of surgery effectively catapults a woman into menopause. In a total hysterectomy there is complete removal of the uterus and the cervix.

A subtotal or partial hysterectomy (also known as supracervical) removes only the uterus and leaves the cervix in place. Since a subtotal hysterectomy is more conservative, the partial hysterectomy recovery time is lower.

What should one do if advised a hysterectomy?

Firstly seek and ask for a second opinion. Do other doctors also concur with the view that surgery is warranted? Ask if the surgery is the only viable option and also ask about the side effects that a woman may expect given the type of surgery she is to undergo.

What is the recovery time taken after surgery?

Whether it is partial hysterectomy recovery time or any other kind of hysterectomy, the recovery time is considerable and women cannot resume all of their normal activities for a significant amount of time after the surgery. A hospital stay for a day or two after the surgery is usually required to give post operative care and to prevent or monitor complications if any.

Usually the hospital stay is shorter in the case of vaginal or laparoscopically assisted vaginal procedures. If the surgery took the abdominal route, women have a longer hospital stay of 3 to 5 days.

The partial hysterectomy recovery time will take several months in most cases. There are many activities that a woman will not be able to resume for about 4 or more months after the surgery. So called full recovery may even take up to a year, regardless of the type of procedure that has been used for the surgery.

It isn’t just the partial hysterectomy recovery time, but also the side effects, possible complications and the emotional aspects that a woman has to deal with, that have to be taken into account when committing to a hysterectomy, which in many ways can be life altering for a woman.