• The alarming rise in hysterectomy surgeries among Indian women, particularly in the age group of 30 to 40, signals an urgent public health challenge.
• Once considered a last resort for severe uterine conditions, hysterectomy is increasingly performed at much younger ages, with states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, and Gujarat reporting disproportionately high numbers.
• This troubling trend highlights the interplay of medical, social, and economic factors that jeopardize women’s long-term well-being.
• Data reveal that nearly 10 percent of women aged 40–49 in India have undergone hysterectomy, with rates exceeding 20 percent in certain states. The median age of surgery is alarmingly low—34 years in rural areas and 36 in urban centres.
• Agricultural labourers, especially women in sugarcane fields, are more likely to undergo the procedure, often encouraged by employers for perceived productivity benefits.
• Disturbingly, rural and less educated women are disproportionately targeted, even though they have the least access to quality surgical facilities.