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What to Know About Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Woman holding belly in pain

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common problem for women. Almost half of all women who have had babies will have some POP but not all have symptoms. About one third of ALL women will have some symptoms of POP.

Risks for POP are genetic, having many pregnancies, being menopausal, increasing age and conditions that increase abdominal pressure such as obesity, constipation, coughing and heavy lifting.

What is it That’s Falling Down?

Most common is the bladder. It pushes down into the anterior or front wall of the vagina. The cervix and uterus can move closer to or beyond the vaginal opening. The rectum can push into the back or posterior wall of the vagina. Occasionally, all of that happens together. If the urethra loses support, incontinence of urine can occur. It sounds bad, but severity of symptoms doesn’t always correlate well with the amount of prolapse.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment Options

How can we fix the prolapse for those women who have symptoms such as pressure, feeling a bulge, pelvic heaviness, loss of urine, frequency or urgency of urination or difficulty having a bowel movement?

For surgical options, native tissue repair means using only sutures (stitches) and the body’s own tissues to repair the prolapse. This could include hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). The tissues that are bulging are put back in place and the area reinforced, similar to hernia repair. Because native tissue has already weakened and allowed POP to occur, other materials have been sought to improve outcomes.

Do I Have to Have Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse?

No, there are also nonsurgical options such as pessary use and pelvic floor muscle exercises through physical therapy.

There are many options and we try to stay current with all available treatments for your benefit. The bottom line is that there is usually something that will help. Don’t hesitate to ask us!