Figures from the second Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation showed women living in the Maryborough-Pyrenees statistical were are more likely to undergo the procedure in 2014-15 than anywhere else in Australia, with Creswick-Daylesford-Ballan and the Macedon Ranges also in the top six.

“The hysterectomy rate in Australia is one of the highest reported in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and there is concern that hysterectomy may be overused to treat benign conditions,” the atlas reads.

Kyneton District Health’s director of medical services Peter Sloan said “the vast majority” of hysterectomies were performed to treat benign conditions, the most common being heavy menstrual bleeding, and the high rate could reflect patient choice.

“There are now alternative procedures, the most common of which is called endometrial ablation which we also do, so that’s where you essentially put a balloon into the uterus and heat the balloon up and that basically gets rid of the lining of the uterus and stops the bleeding,” he said.

“There’s no doubt probably the preferred way of dealing with a heavy period is to do endometrial ablation, but not everybody wants that.”

Dr Sloan said even a full hysterectomy could now be performed much less invasively than in times past, which could also influence women’s decision to have the procedure.

“The surgeons at Kyneton can do this laparoscopically, so it’s a much smaller operation than if you have it as an open procedure,” he said.

“With the old open hysterectomy basically you would be out of action for six to eight weeks, now in a couple of weeks you’re not totally back to normal but it’s a much less invasive procedure.”

Dr Sloan said while the figures may also be partially explained by the fact patients commonly travelled to Kyneton from elsewhere for surgery, the hospital would review the data to ensure the number of operations it performed was appropriate.

“We will look at it and see if we can work out ways how to not operate on people if we don’t have to,” he said.

Maryborough District Health Service was contacted for comment.