A Prospective Study of Patterns of Regret in the Year After Hysterectomy

This study sought to identify patterns of self-reported regret after hysterectomy.

Women undergoing hysterectomy for a benign indication were recruited in the 2 weeks prior to surgery. Women reported demographics and completed validated questionnaires (Decisional Regret Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Decisional Conflict Scale, and the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity) up to 7 times over the first year postsurgery. Medical records were reviewed for clinical and operative details. Latent class growth mixture models were applied to the repeated regret scores to identify patterns after hysterectomy. Clinical and other participant characteristics were compared across the classes.

Three latent classes were identified among the 459 participants (422 of whom completed questionnaires at 12 months): "High Regret" (7.4%), women with a high regret score at baseline that did not improve over time; "Decreasing Regret" (13.3%), women with high baseline levels of regret but whose regret scores improved over time; and "Least Regret" (79.3%), women with the lowest baseline regret scores that remained low after surgery. These classes did not vary with respect to indication for surgery, clinical characteristics, age, or body mass index. Disproportionately more African American women (adjusted odds ratio: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.01-3.9) were in the "Decreasing Regret" versus "Least Regret" classes. Baseline satisfaction varied between the classes, with the "Least Regret" group having higher baseline satisfaction with their decision. Women with "Decreasing Regret" reported worse financial toxicity associated with surgery versus women in the "Least Regret" class (adjusted odds ratio: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99).

For some women, decisional regret may worsen after hysterectomy. More often, initial regret lessens over time. Future studies that identify factors strongly associated with self-reported regret could lead to improved counseling about postsurgical expectations.