Ovarian conservatism.

Everyone is conscious of the prime role of the ovaries in making a female a "female." However, too little attention has been directed toward the systemic mechanism of estrogens that protects against coronary artery disease and osteoporosis. Exogenous estrogen appears to be almost as effective as the ovaries are in protecting a female from these diseases. The incidence of neoplasia in preserved ovaries after previous pelvic surgery is low. Emphasis has been placed on ovarian conservatism in the young female because a clearer benefit can be demonstrated in them than in postmenopausal females.