The short explanation
Removing both ovaries before natural menopause causes a sudden drop in oestrogen, which is called surgical menopause. Oestrogen helps protect bones, so surgical menopause at a young age does raise the risk of bone thinning and osteoporosis over time. It is worth raising this with your doctor now. Many women in your situation are offered a discussion about hormone therapy until around the age of natural menopause, partly for bone and heart protection. Whether it suits you depends on the reason for your surgery and your other health conditions.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Your doctor may suggest a bone density scan, especially if you have other risk factors such as low weight, smoking, a family history of fractures or long-term steroid use.
- Weight-bearing exercise, enough calcium from food, vitamin D, not smoking and limiting alcohol all help protect bones.
- Surgical menopause can also affect mood, sleep, sexual health and heart health, which are worth discussing at the same visit.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This answer cannot tell how strong your bones are now. That needs a clinical assessment and possibly a scan.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Should I have a bone density scan?
- Is hormone therapy suitable for me after my surgery?
- What are my risks for heart and bone health?
- What can I do to protect my bones?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you fall and have pain, swelling or cannot move a limb.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- Book a routine appointment with a gynaecologist to discuss bone health and surgical menopause. You can ask for a woman doctor if you prefer.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Osteoporosis MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
- Osteoporosis NHS
- Bone density MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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