A hysterectomy is a common procedure that some women may need to help stop pain, bleeding, or other problems. It can be done in several ways. One way is called abdominal hysterectomy. An abdominal hysterectomy is a surgery to remove a woman’s uterus. The uterus is removed through an incision in your abdomen. The uterus is an organ in the lower abdomen. It’s shaped like an upside-down pear. The opening at the bottom of the uterus is the cervix. The cervix leads into the vagina. The top of the uterus is called the fundus. Two fallopian tubes connect to the uterus near the fundus. The tubes lead to the ovaries. Each month or so, one ovary releases an egg. It travels down the nearest fallopian tube to the uterus. During a hysterectomy, the whole uterus may be removed. In some cases, just part of it is taken out. The ovaries and fallopian tubes may also be removed. If the ovaries are not removed, the fallopian tubes are often taken out to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. It’s important to know that if you have a hysterectomy, you will no longer have periods and you will not be able to get pregnant.