Laura Hanks, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, is senior author on a new study published in Transgender Health examining complications following gender-affirming hysterectomy in transgender and gender-diverse patients. Co-authors include first author Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, Madison Seifer, and Amy Godecker.

In “Complication Rates Following Gender-Affirming Hysterectomy in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Patients Compared with Hysterectomy for Benign Conditions,” Hanks and co-authors compared complications and health care use among transgender and gender-diverse patients undergoing gender-affirming hysterectomy with patients undergoing hysterectomy for other benign conditions. They found higher rates of intraoperative complications and emergency department visits for postoperative bleeding among TGD patients, although most complications were minor. 

“Most intraoperative complications in the TGD cohort were minor. Further investigation is needed regarding preoperative counseling about expected postoperative symptoms.”

Read the whole study here! 

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Tina Lee