To estimate hysterectomy rates by type of hysterectomy and to compare age, length of stay, and regional variation in type of hysterectomy performed for benign indications. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of national discharge data using the 2003 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. These data represent a 20% stratified sample of U.S. hospitals. Women aged 16 years or older who underwent a hysterectomy were identified by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes. We extracted data regarding age, race, diagnoses codes, length of stay, and hospital characteristics. Using 2000 National Census data and weighted data analysis for cluster sampling, we calculated hysterectomy rates. In 2003, 602,457 hysterectomies were performed, for a rate of 5.38 per 1,000 women-years. Of the 538,722 hysterectomies for benign disease (rate 4.81 per 1,000 women-years), the abdominal route was the most common (66.1%), followed by vaginal (21.8%) and laparoscopic (11.8%) routes. Mean ages (+/-standard deviation) differed among hysterectomy types (abdominal 44.5+/-0.1 years, vaginal 48.2+/-0.2 years, and laparoscopic 43.6+/-0.3 years, P<.001). Mean lengths of stay (+/-standard deviation) were also different (3.0+/-0.03 days, 2.0+/-0.03 days, 1.7+/-0.03 days, respectively, P<.001). The hysterectomy rate was highest in the South (5.92 per 1,000 women-years) and lowest in the Northeast (3.33 per 1,000 women-years). Despite a shorter length of stay, vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomies remain far less common than abdominal hysterectomy for benign disease. III.