Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus; sometimes the cervix and/or ovaries and fallopian tubes are ... removed. After cesarean section, hysterectomy is the second most frequently performed major surgical procedure for women of reproductive age in the United States. Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the United States and an estimated 20 million U.S. women have had a hysterectomy. During 2000–2004 the overall hysterectomy rate for United States female civilian residents was 5.4. per 1,000 women. During this time period, the overall rate of hysterectomy decreased slightly.