The Castrated Woman: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Hysterectomy [Hardcover]

Naomi M. Stokes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A "castrated woman" is defined as one who has had a total hysterectomy. Stokes gives reasons why a woman should refuse to have this done or should choose more conservative therapy. This is one of the most commonly performed procedures, but the statistics Stokes uses, often without identifying the source, are biased. Her main premise, that she experienced loss of sexual desire following her hysterectomy, and that this is a common result, could have been discussed in an article. Her most useful suggestion is to obtain second, and even third or fourth opinions before having surgery and to sign for permission to remove only diseased tissue, not healthy ovaries. Too emotional and not balanced. (Bibliography and index not seen.) Not recommended. Jean E. Crampon, Southern Illinois Univ. Sch. of Medicine Lib., Springfield
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 206 pages
• Publisher: Franklin Watts (May 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531150038
• ISBN-13: 978-0531150030
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,960,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book saved my sanity, February 24, 2002

By 

"alannanoel1" (Tawas, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castrated Woman: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Hysterectomy (Hardcover)

I had a Hysterectomy when I was 24 years old. Life for my entire family became a living nightmare. No one told me what to expect. I was suffering from post-hysterectomy syndrome for seven years and didn't know it. When my therapist handed me this book I was immediately intrigued. I too had considered myself "castrated". After reading the first five pages, my life was forever changed. It was as if everything suddenly made sense. I don't know if Mrs. Stokes is still with us, but I would like to tell her Thank You. You are an amazing genius. Thank You Thank You Thank You. Any woman who is having second thoughts, or Uterine/Ovarian problems, with the scare of Hysterectomy hanging over their head MUST read this book. You will be able to make an informed decision.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Women Need a Strategy, March 6, 2007

By 

a reader (Laurel, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castrated Woman: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Hysterectomy (Hardcover)

The helpful point in this book is that it discusses the consequences of female castration. I would disagree with the Journal review above that says the book is emotional and unbalanced. What I suspect he is looking for is the unemotional and balanced discussions that is otherwise available and says we should end reproductive function, disturb normal pelvic integrity, alter hormonal and neuroendocrine functions, and enslave women to a liftime of drug therapy at the slightest sign of non life-threatening conditions. While the author does highlight the risk to sexual normalcy in the book, you will pick up the other risks when reading the stories of the women she interviews. This book was written in 1986 and eventhough we are in 2007, nothing has changed. I think this book attempts to explain that much is at risk when one agrees or is conned into the surgical procedure hysterectomy. A woman risks her life, her family, her relationship, her career, her education, and her dreams. Women individually or collectively need to come up with a strategy for dealing with our reproductive health from menstruation to post-menopause, the medical community have shown in their unemotional and balanced articles and studies - that women's best interest is not on their list of concerns.

4.0 out of 5 stars All the things you doctor won't tell you, December 14, 2010

By 

Homeschool Mom (Beavercreek, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Castrated Woman: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Hysterectomy (Hardcover)

I will agree up front that this book is a bit over the top. On the other hand, it helped save my sanity after my hysterectomy. There are so many things you doctor doesn't tell you, and it was so helpful to know that I wasn't alone in all I was experiencing. Even though I only had a partial hysterectomy, it was life-changing in ways that I never expected. Women need to tell each other what it's really like to have this surgery. I don't think anyone who hasn't experienced it can truly understand, least of all male OB/GYNs.