Women who had undergone surgery on ovary removal before menopause have a high risk for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, the new study shows, Newsmax Health reports.

Researchers looked at 222 healthy postmenopausal women in the Los Angeles area. Among women who were more than 10 years past menopause, the rate of bone mineral density loss was twice as high in those who'd had their ovaries removed before menopause than in those who still had their ovaries.

The women without ovaries also had more evidence of hardening of the arteries, according to the study published Feb. 14 in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

The researchers at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine noted that the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are common conditions in women as they grow older, particularly after menopause.

Decreasing levels of hormones affect the severity of both health issues. While hormone levels gradually fall through menopause, they can decline suddenly if a woman's ovaries are removed.