A hysterectomy is a major operation. There are risks involved and recovery can take a long time. Despite the severity, it is the second most common surgical procedure for women after C-sections.

But are doctors offering this surgery too easily?

Mari Newell of Dundalk says: "I was offered a hysterectomy when I was 36. I initially went to the doctor because I had not had a period in 15 months and was worried something was seriously wrong.

"He brought me into hospital for tests but could not find any reason why my periods had stopped. He said they would take my womb out because I had three children and would not need it.

"But a voice in my head told me not to go through with it. I said no and the doctor said I should come back in six months time.

"During the 15 months that my periods had stopped, my Dad, brother, nephew and friend had died. I felt low and stressed. However, I had three small children, so I had to get on with things."

Mari says that her daughter, aged six, made her see what was going on. "She wrote me a letter saying she did not want anything bad to happen to me. It was as if she could feel my stress and it was upsetting her. too.

"I spoke to her teacher about the letter. She took one look at me , and suggested I go to a relaxation seminar that was on the following weekend.

"I was sceptical but I went along. I never expected what happened. It was as if I had been holding all the stress from the bereavements inside of me, and making myself ill. I realised there was nothing actually wrong with my womb; it was the stress that had caused my periods to stop," Mari says.

"That weekend changed my life. I learned how to relax and let go. The course ran on Saturday and Sunday and on the Monday morning, I had my period."

"I went to my Dad's anniversary mass soon after and, as I sat there in the church, I felt a sense of calm come over me."

Mari believes that women need to look after their health properly, "not just physically but mentally, spiritually and emotionally, too.

"Since I turned down the hysterectomy, my confidence has grown and my life has blossomed. I am now a trained psychotherapist and I teach yoga, too.

"I want to share my experience with other women so they can regain control of their health and avoid unnecessary surgeries, like I did."

Bernadette (55) from Ringsend did go ahead with a hysterectomy but wishes she had refused. "In 2002, I had a hysterectomy and I regret it to this day. I was bleeding heavily from fibroids in my womb and was physically weak due to weight and blood loss.

"The doctor wanted to remove my womb, but I argued that I only wanted the fibroids removed. He said that because I was 48, I did not need my womb anymore and that it would be best to take it out. I fought until I could fight no more and, eventually, agreed."

"I was referred to the hospital. Before I knew it, I was signing a disclaimer that I would not sue if anything went wrong."

But, Bernadette says, it all went very wrong. "What should have been a routine procedure and six-day hospital stay turned into a month's stay and a near-death experience.

"When I came around after the surgery, I knew something was wrong. I felt terrible; I was scared. The surgeon told me I had struggled and fought, even under anaesthetic, and had to be held down so they could cut me open. When he tried to remove my womb, it would not budge. He had to yank to get it out.

"I haemorrhaged badly. They managed to stop the bleeding and stitch me up but I still needed blood transfusions and, at one point, a priest was notified," she says.

"I came around but for the next few days, I could not eat or sleep. The surgeon said I had to eat to get better. I forced myself to eat but soon afterwards, I became violently sick. I was given a sedative and taken to radiology, where they discovered a clot on my bowel.

"I was upset; I knew something was wrong but they did not listen. I was too sick to have more surgery so they decided to use a catheter to drain the clot. In the operating room, I was sedated but awake; naked from the waist down as two male doctors worked on me. It was humiliating," says Bernadette

"They had no consideration for me whatsoever; they never spoke to me. I can still remember being in that cold room. It was awful.

"When I left hospital, one month after my admission, I had a bill for €10,000 and I was one-and-a-half stone lighter. I was so weak that I could not do housework or go back to my job for four months. It took a year for me to feel okay again.

"Another side effect of the hysterectomy was the sudden onset of menopause, which meant I had to start taking HRT immediately. I had no symptoms before the surgery but soon after was having regular hot flushes. It was horrible being thrown into it like that.

"I wish I had never let them remove my womb, as it was healthy. As far as I'm concerned, the doctors laughed all the way to the bank while I cried for a year."

Could Bernadette's fibroids have been treated without removing her womb? It begs the question: is there ever a time when a hysterectomy is a good idea?

For Theresa Monaghan (81) from Glasnevin, the answer is yes. She had a hysterectomy when she was 79 and has not looked back.

"I'd had problems for a few years. I did not have pain or bleeding, but when I sat down or stood up, I felt something move inside me. It was like a heavy yo-yo, going up and down. It was difficult to sit comfortably and walking was a nightmare"

Theresa recalls how she went to see a specialist. "I was not too surprised when he diagnosed a prolapsed womb and suggested a hysterectomy.

"I was concerned about surgery but he explained that because my womb was so low, they could give me an epidural and remove it without open surgery.

"I remember laying in the operating room listening to Mozart on headphones. I was awake but I did not feel anything.

"The next day, the doctor came to see me and suggested I try to get out of bed. I stood up and immediately felt wonderful," she says.

"The sense of relief that it was gone was incredible. My quality of life has improved since the operation, and I am very happy I went through with it."