You do not have to have a uterus to have a cycle. It is often a misconception that everyone who has had a hysterectomy is menopausal. In contrast, those who have had a hysterectomy may still experience hormonal fluctuations if their ovaries remain [1-2].
A hysterectomy is the surgery performed to remove the uterus. A hysterectomy can look like (1) still having both ovaries while the uterus has been removed, (2) one ovary remains without the uterus, or (3) even half of an ovary remains without the uterus [1-2].
If both ovaries have been removed completely, the body kicks into surgical menopause, which is the sudden transition into menopause due to the loss of ovarian hormone production. Unlike natural menopause, there is no true perimenopausal transition here because the drops in estrogen and progesterone are sudden and abrupt [3].
On the other hand, individuals who have had a hysterectomy but still have half, one, or both ovaries can continue to have ovarian hormone production, fluctuations, and cyclical symptoms, even without having a “period” or menstrual bleeding of any kind; they have a cycle!
We know that there are many, many individuals out there that may not be aware of the fact that they still have a cycle. We want to take this message out into the community that cyclicality does not end with a hysterectomy or even with menopause. Understanding the ongoing role of hormones throughout life is essential to supporting overall health and well-being.
Menopause itself is defined by the occurrence of 12 consecutive months without menstruation [4]. Menopause does not mean hormones completely disappear. While this article focuses on hormonal changes leading up to menopause, it’s important to note that hormones continue to fluctuate and interact during menopause, even as estrogen and progesterone decline. FSH and LH rise, while testosterone generally declines more gradually [4-5].
In our next post, we’ll explore what happens to these hormones during menopause and what those changes can mean for long-term health and well-being. Understanding hormonal changes helps us recognize that menopause is a hormonal transition period, not the end of hormonal activity or cyclicality.
We encourage you to connect and have conversations with others in your community. Who in your life could you talk to about their experiences with cyclicality, hormones, and menopause?
References
- Huang, Y., Wu, M., Wu, C., Zhu, Q., Wu, T., Zhu, X., Wu, M., & Wang, S. (2023). Effect of hysterectomy on ovarian function: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Ovarian Research, 16(1), Article 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-023-01117-1.
- Chen, Y., & Min, L. (2025). Post-hysterectomy ovarian consequences: Mechanisms, risks, and clinical management strategies—A narrative review. Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology, 52(12), Article 44674. https://doi.org/10.31083/CEOG44674.
- Page, C. E., Soreth, B., Metcalf, C. A., Johnson, R. L., Duffy, K. A., Sammel, M. D., Loughead, J., & Epperson, C. N. (2024). Natural vs. surgical postmenopause and psychological symptoms confound the effect of menopause on executive functioning domains of cognitive experience. Focus, 22(1), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.23021034.
- Yang, J. L., Hodara, E., Sriprasert, I., Shoupe, D., & Stanczyk, F. Z. (2024). Estrogen deficiency in the menopause and the role of hormone therapy: Integrating the findings of basic science research with clinical trials. Menopause, 31(10), 926–939. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002407.
- Kawakita, T., Yasui, T., Yoshida, K., Matsui, S., & Iwasa, T. (2023). Associations of LH and FSH with reproductive hormones depending on each stage of the menopausal transition. BMC Women’s Health, 23(1), Article 286. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02438-5.
