Loading Curie Briefs...
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
ACOG just made its strongest push yet for bilateral salpingectomy — fallopian tube removal — as a key ovarian cancer prevention strategy. Updated guidance says ob/gyns should routinely perform the procedure during hysterectomy and consider it during other abdominal or pelvic surgeries, even non-gynecologic ones. Studies show it can cut a woman's lifetime ovarian cancer risk by up to 78%.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued its strongest-ever guidance supporting opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy (OBS) — the removal of both fallopian tubes — as a safe and effective way to reduce ovarian cancer risk. The updated clinical practice guidance, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, recommends that ob/gyns routinely perform the procedure during hysterectomy and actively offer it to patients undergoing other gynecologic or even non-gynecologic abdominal and pelvic surgeries, provided they don't desire future fertility.
The push comes amid sobering statistics: ovarian cancer caused an estimated 12,730 deaths in the U.S. in 2025 alone, and most cases are diagnosed late due to vague symptoms. A large Canadian study of over 80,000 patients found that women who had bilateral salpingectomy at the time of hysterectomy had nearly 80% lower risk of developing serous ovarian cancer. ACOG also now recommends that bilateral salpingectomy — not tubal ligation — be the preferred method for permanent contraception.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Ovarian cancer is notoriously hard to catch early, making prevention critical. By expanding OBS beyond gynecologic surgery — think gallbladder removals or bariatric procedures — clinicians across specialties have a real opportunity to meaningfully reduce ovarian cancer burden with minimal added surgical risk.
