An oophorectomy is the removal of one or both ovaries, the small glands that produce, store, and release eggs for reproduction. The removal of one ovary is a unilateral oophorectomy. The removal of both ovaries is a bilateral oophorectomy.
The surgery is mostly used to treat ovarian cancer or to prevent cancer in women who are at high risk of developing ovarian cancer.
An oophorectomy is the removal of one or both ovaries. Ovaries are the small glands that produce, store, and release eggs for reproduction.
When one ovary is removed, it’s called a unilateral oophorectomy. When both ovaries are removed, it’s called a bilateral oophorectomy. When the fallopian tubes are removed with the ovaries, it’s called a salpingo-oophorectomy.
The surgery is mostly used to treat ovarian cancer or to prevent cancer in women who are at high risk of developing ovarian cancer. It is also used to treat endometriosis, a painful condition in which cells like those that line the uterus grow in other parts of the body.
An oophorectomy is often done at the same time as a hysterectomy, the surgery that removes the uterus.
There are three types of oophorectomies:
A unilateral oophorectomy is when doctors remove only one ovary. Women who are worried about fertility may prefer this procedure because it leaves one ovary in place, allowing for a future pregnancy.
A bilateral oophorectomy is when doctors remove both ovaries.
Removing both ovaries triggers menopause, which means menstrual periods permanently stop.
Women who are in menopause cannot have children. They also have less of the female hormone estrogen, which can cause symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes.
A decline in estrogen also puts women at higher risk for certain diseases.
A salpingo-oophorectomy is when doctors remove the ovaries and the fallopian tubes. These are the tubes that transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.
When one ovary and fallopian tube are removed, it’s called a unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and can preserve fertility. When both ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed, it’s called a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and it will trigger menopause.
An oophorectomy is one of the treatments for ovarian cancer. If the cancer has spread, doctors will often perform a hysterectomy at the same time. A hysterectomy removes the uterus.
Ovarian cancer has few symptoms, and once those symptoms are apparent, the cancer has usually reached an advanced stage. For this reason, some women opt to have an oophorectomy to prevent ovarian cancer.
If ovarian cancer runs in your family or if you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, an oophorectomy can reduce your risk of cancer.
Ovarian cysts are benign, fluid-filled sacs that develop on the ovaries.
Most are small and harmless. However, larger cysts can cause pain and bloating or may look abnormal on imaging. In severe cases, doctors may recommend an oophorectomy.
Endometriosis is when cells that resemble the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grow outside the uterus. It’s a chronic and painful condition that has no cure.
Endometriosis pain can subside with the removal of the ovaries and uterus. However, the treatment is usually reserved for women who don’t respond to other treatments and do not wish to become pregnant.
You may need or elect an oophorectomy if you have:
It’s important to talk with your doctor about the benefits and drawbacks of oophorectomy, particularly if you haven’t yet reached menopause. A bilateral oophorectomy will trigger menopause. This puts you at greater risk of developing infertility, heart disease, and osteoporosis (weak bones).
Surgery is the primary treatment for ovarian cancer, whether that’s an oophorectomy or larger surgery. Doctors often follow surgery with chemotherapy, which uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Many different steps can lower your risk of ovarian cancer, including:
However, an oophorectomy remains the only way to completely prevent ovarian cancer. That is because doctors cannot screen for ovarian cancer, and it has few symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, ovarian cancer is usually advanced.
Women with a family history of ovarian cancer or the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation may elect to have an oophorectomy to reduce their risk. Since ovarian cancer can also begin in the fallopian tubes, your doctor may recommend a salpingo-oophorectomy to reduce your risk.
However, removing the ovaries comes with serious side effects, including infertility, heart disease, and weak bones. Removing just one ovary can help lessen these side effects. If you are thinking about having an oophorectomy to reduce your risk of ovarian cancer, you should discuss these tradeoffs with your doctor.
Not all ovarian cysts need to be removed. Doctors often track cyst growth with ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create detailed images of the ovaries.
Over-the-counter pain medication can help with pain. Birth control pills, patches, or rings may prevent new cysts from forming.
Endometriosis has no definitive cure, but doctors can treat it in many different ways, including:
If both ovaries are removed, you cannot get pregnant without using donor eggs or harvesting your own eggs before surgery.
If one ovary is removed, you can still get pregnant because the remaining ovary will produce eggs. However, your chances of getting pregnant can decrease with one ovary.
If both ovaries are removed, you will experience early menopause. Your periods will stop permanently, and your body will produce less estrogen. This can cause symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, and vaginal dryness.
Estrogen is also crucial to heart and bone health. The sudden decline of estrogen that comes with menopause puts women at increased risk of developing heart disease and osteoporosis.
An oophorectomy takes place in a hospital under general anesthesia. You may need to fast (stop eating and drinking) or stop taking certain medications before your surgery. Your doctor will give you specific instructions during a preoperative appointment.
A laparoscopic oophorectomy, in which doctors make just a few small incisions and use a tiny camera and surgical instruments, typically takes one to two hours. Traditional surgery can take longer. You will also need to spend time in the recovery room.
An oophorectomy takes place in a hospital under general anesthesia. You will be asleep, and you will need a special airway device to help you breathe.
Oophorectomies are typically done laparoscopically. This means doctors make several small incisions and use a tiny camera and surgical instruments to remove the ovaries.
You will need to spend time in the recovery room after your oophorectomy, but you may not need to stay at the hospital overnight. Some oophorectomies are outpatient surgeries.
It usually takes two to four weeks to recover from an oophorectomy. You may have some discomfort during this time, but it should be controlled with pain relievers.
You should contact your doctor if you experience the following symptoms after surgery, because they can be signs of infection or a blood clot:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2026-08-11.
