A hysterectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in the U.S. and as a result, today's women are more thoroughly researching their surgical options.

Gynecologist Richard Bloy explains that a hysterectomy is a last-resort treatment for conditions like heavy menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis that doesn't respond to other treatments. "The original surgery really was abdominal surgery, to make an incision, which is good and still used but painful to recover from."

Maria Bedolla's mother had a much-needed hysterectomy several years ago by this method and she vividly remembers taking care of her during her recovery.

"For her hysterectomy they actually had to cut her abdomen and they stapled it up. They told her she was going to be in bed for about 2 weeks."

Dr. Bloy says that now that type of method, along with the long recovery period can be a thing of the past for some women who need a hysterectomy. Technology has made options available--the newest one causing much excitement. "One of the most exciting things in gynecology now is a new thing called a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy. And those big words just mean that through the telescope we can actually do a hysterectomy completely."

And after speaking with lots of other women Maria knows that many people put off having a hysterectomy because they're simply unaware that a less invasive method exists.

Dr. Bloy also says, "The great advantage of the laproscopic surgery is that there's so much less pain, that the recovery is literally a one night stay in the hospital at the most and then a few days at rest."

The type of hysterectomy procedure a woman has depends on the medical reason for the procedure and her general state of health.

A hysterectomy is the second most common major operation performed in the United States today, second only to a cesarean section.