oophorectomy

noun oo·pho·rec·to·my \ ˌō-ə-fə-ˈrek-tə-mē \

|Updated on: 31 May 2018

Definition of oophorectomy

plural oophorectomies

: the surgical removal of an ovary — called also ovariectomy

Recent Examples of oophorectomy from the Web

And, while not considered a first line of treatment for endometriosis, some people with severe cases may choose to have a hysterectomy to remove the uterus, an oophorectomy to remove the ovaries, or a salpingectomy to remove the fallopian tubes.

— korin miller, SELF, "Halsey Is Freezing Her Eggs at Age 23 Due to Her Endometriosis and Previous Miscarriage," 27 Apr. 2018
Still, if the pain doesn’t go away after multiple laparoscopies, a woman may elect to do a hysterectomy and oophorectomy to remove the uterus and target estrogen production.

— zahra barnes, SELF, "Lena Dunham Had a Total Hysterectomy to Treat Her Endometriosis," 14 Feb. 2018
Removing both the ovaries and fallopian tubes, in a procedure known as a salpingo-oophorectomy, is also an option that may make sense depending on a person’s situation.

— zahra barnes, SELF, "Lena Dunham Had a Total Hysterectomy to Treat Her Endometriosis," 14 Feb. 2018
All of the women reached menopause naturally, none because of a hysterectomy, oophorectomy, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

— linda searing, Washington Post, "Younger women who are underweight may be more prone to early menopause," 29 Oct. 2017
The surgery is known as a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO).

— korin miller, SELF, "Christina Applegate Had Her Ovaries and Fallopian Tubes Removed to Reduce Her Cancer Risk," 12 Oct. 2017
Depending on the location of the pregnancy, other excisions, such as an oophorectomy (removal of the ovary) might be needed in place of or in addition to the salpingectomy.

— joanna petrone, Longreads, "Pregnant, then Ruptured," 18 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oophorectomy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.