Two out of five women feel embarrassed talking about their gynecologic health with their friends*

DALLAS, May 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Hysterectomy.org, created by three trusted women's health advocates, is kicking off Hysterectomy Awareness Month with dozens of personal stories from women who have sought treatment for their gyn health conditions and more interactive content including quizzes, shareable graphics and online events. On May 4, 2015, women can interact with Dr. Arnold Advincula, Vice Chair, Women's Health Gynecologic Surgery & Urogynecology, Columbia University Medical Center at ACOG 2015, when he'll discuss fibroids and excessive bleeding and other gynecologic symptoms women should not ignore. Women can participate by following @hysterectomy411 on Twitter.

Founder Kathy Kelley says they want to help women get "hysterectomy smart" and understand the options and alternatives connected to this common surgical procedure that affects 1 in 3 American women by age 60**.

In a recent poll, nearly half of Americans are incorrect or don't know what happens during hysterectomy, the surgical procedure that removes a woman's uterus.

"Many women feel embarrassed to talk with their friends or their doctors about their gynecologic health," says Kathy Kelley, who led the creation of Hysterectomy.org with Pass the Pearls and Hysterectomy Association UK. "Because treatment choices and alternatives continue to improve, we want women to feel empowered to ask questions and make confident decisions for better health outcomes."

Women may choose hysterectomy or alternatives for a range of conditions including fibroids, endometriosis and cancers. Other women may consider hysterectomy, oophorectomy and/or mastectomy because of a family history of gynecologic cancers or after testing positive for BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genes.

Highlights of Hysterectomy Awareness Month Events also include a Facebook chat on Friday, May 15 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT (US); 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. GMT (UK). The "Hysterectomy: Been There? Done That?" Facebook chat about #gynhealth is open to all women and carefully moderated to ensure women are comfortable asking questions about their symptoms and treatments.

About Hysterectomy Awareness Month

May 2015 is Hysterectomy Awareness Month, a patient-education program hosted by Hysterectomy.org and co-presented with trusted women's health organizations including HysterSisters, Pass the Pearls and Hysterectomy-Association UK. The Hysterectomy Awareness Month program will combine online and offline educational opportunities to increase women's knowledge of this common procedure. Its goals are to increase the frequency of second opinions and increase women's familiarity with alternative treatments and minimally invasive options for GYN diagnoses including fibroids, endometriosis, excessive bleeding and pelvic pain.

*Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Hysterectomy.org from February 11-13, 2015 among 2,026 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Laura Bond Williams, 512.497.8035.

**ACOG 2011 Women's Health Stats and Facts, http://www.acog.org/~/media/NewsRoom/MediaKit.pdf

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150430/213074-INFO

SOURCE Hysterectomy.org