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"Dr. Stanley West, a leading mainstream physician and surgeon, offers a bold challenge to his peers and an explosive indictment of the "big business" of hysterectomy." "There are more than 600,000 hysterectomies performed in the United States each year, and, according to Dr. West, no more than 10 percent of them are truly necessary. In The Hysterectomy Hoax, West takes a public stand against hysterectomy in virtually all circumstances except when a woman has cancer. In fact, he contends, there is compelling evidence that the operation does more harm than good and therefore presents an unacceptable risk except in the face of life-threatening illness. In every other instance when a hysterectomy is routinely performed, there is an alternative treatment or surgery - clearly explained in this book - that is much less dangerous and devastating." "Dr. West criticizes his colleagues for taking what is, essentially, the easy way out and explains how insurance companies contribute to and encourage the high rate of hysterectomy in the United States. Most important, however, he educates women about how their bodies work, explains why they should challenge their doctors, and tells them what questions to ask." "With the understanding that knowledge is power, it is Dr. West's mission to empower women to take control of their health care, to insist upon a dialogue with their doctors, to seek a second - or third - opinion, and to demand the kind of treatment they deserve."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved