Is it halachicaly permissible or ethical to remove one's ovaries or have a double mastectomy due to a genetic predisposition of having breast cancer or ovarian cancer?

I don't know the answer but why would halachah have a problem with that? (Perhaps I could understand an issue with removing one's ovaries/uterus but I don't understand why removing one's breasts would be considered a halachic problem.)

AYLOR.

Huh?

I don't think it's so poshut to just cut off chunks of your body. Firstly, any surgery is putting yourself under the knife, which is arguably a sakanah.

Ask Your Local Orthodox Rabbi.

I don't know, but I'd guess yes. When it comes to health or safety, alot goes.

I was thinking about it in terms of fertility and eliminating the possibility of having a child...Obviously this is not something that would be clear cut. As you said AYLOR. (Thanks for the explanation.)

Fertility aside, as I said, I don't think one should go under the knife without asking a Shayla. Putting yourself in danger is not so simple.

I would not prophylactically remove any part of my body without clear and convincing evidence that my risks were strong and this was the ONLY available option.

Obviously you have to ask a shailah, but if the doctor says this is what's going to save your life, no rabbi's going to say no.


Halachically women aren't required to have children, so that's not a halachic barrier to having one's ovaries or uterus or whatever removed.

Depends whom one asks.
http://www.daat.co.il/daat/english/journal/weinreb-1.htm
Tubal Ligation and the Prohibition of Sirus
Shaul Weinreb M.D.

Fine, but, according to the article:

of course. I was just commenting on the oft repeated, but I believe inaccurate, claim that women have no obligation in procreating.

I don't think this article at all proves that women have an obligation to have children.

Women are not required to have children because it's sakanat nefashot.

It is my understanding that women arguably at least have a rabbinic obligation to settle to the earth, based on a verse in Yeshayahu.

Why not? If you have brains and the docs telling you to do it (I'm not talking ovaries here either) what's the shayla? Shaylas aren't about getting smart peoples opinions and the Torah doesn't say whether or not you can have surgery.


There is no way to guarantee they won't get sick and die. Without ovaries they won't get ovarian cancer but that's not stopping them from getting another form, and being that they don't even have cancer yet, they are not in a position for needing the life saving. Furthermore, they can have the body part removed if they get the cancer. It may take a longer recovery and may be a bit more complicated, but it's not like they are going to die without the surgery now. And no, that's not to say I'd judge anyone who opts to get it done.