Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Uterine Prolapse?SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Uterine Prolapse?
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Coping
When thepelvic floormuscles become too weak to support theuterus, the reproductive organ can begin to drop into the vagina. In some cases, the uterus can protrude out of the vagina. This is called uterine prolapse.
Although only about 3% of people will experience symptoms, proper health screening is important for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of uterine prolapse.
This article discusses the symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention of uterine prolapse.
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The pelvic floor muscles support the uterus, rectum,vagina, and bladder and help stabilize the core. Made of muscle, connective tissue, and ligaments, the pelvic floor facilitates bodily functions like urinating, having bowel movements, and enjoying sex.
Unfortunately, when the pelvic floor muscles weaken, the uterus is no longer supported and begins to sag into the vagina or protrude out. Uterine prolapse is a type ofpelvic organ prolapse(POP).
The stages of uterine prolapse are:
Symptoms of Uterine Prolapse
Sometimes the symptoms of uterine prolapse can be absent or very subtle. Your healthcare provider may discover the condition inadvertently during an exam. Other people experience significant discomfort, especially while walking or standing. Symptoms of uterine prolapse include:
Talk to a healthcare provider if you’re having symptoms of uterine prolapse.
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Causes of Uterine Prolapse
The main cause of uterine prolapse is weakened pelvic floor muscles. Strain and stretching of the pelvic floor connective tissue can decrease the muscle’s ability to hold the uterus. Eventually, the uterus begins to sag or drop into the vagina.
The causes of weakened pelvic floor muscles include:
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Diagnosis of Uterine Prolapse
About 50% of people with a uterus will be diagnosed with some degree of uterine prolapse uponphysical exam; only 3% of those will have symptoms.A healthcare provider will use a speculum to visualize the inside of the vagina. They will also assess for infection. If no bulge is seen, they may ask to examine you in the standing position.
Other tests may include:
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Treatment of Uterine Prolapse
Uterine prolapse does not go away without treatment; even then, not all treatments cure the condition. Depending on the severity, untreated uterine prolapse can cause pain, infection, and the inability to urinate or have bowel movements.
Treatment options for uterine prolapse include:
Surgery
People with a uterus have a nearly 13% lifetime risk of undergoing surgery for POP.Surgical interventions to correct or improve uterine prolapse include:
When deciding which surgical intervention is best for you, it’s important to consider your personal beliefs (religious, cultural, spiritual) and your desire for sexual function now and in the future.
Prevention of Uterine Prolapse
Although you can’t completely prevent uterine prolapse, there are lifestyle choices that can reduce the likelihood of getting it. Measures to help prevent uterine prolapse include:
Coping With Uterine Prolapse
Support for people with uterine prolapse is lacking, which can lead to feeling misunderstood and lonely. It’s natural to feel disappointed and sad at first, but with time and support, you can find ways to cope with the condition.
Coping strategies that might be useful if diagnosed with uterine prolapse include:
Summary
Uterine prolapse occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to hold the uterus in place, and it drops into the vagina. Symptoms include pelvic heaviness, constipation, and seeing or feeling the uterus in the vagina. Childbirth, menopause, and age are contributing factors to uterine prolapse. Practicing a healthy lifestyle and performing pelvic floor exercises daily can help prevent prolapse of the uterus. There are also surgical procedures that can reduce the symptoms or cure the condition.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weintraub AY, Glinter H, Marcus-Braun N.Narrative review of the epidemiology, diagnosis and pathophysiology of pelvic organ prolapse.Int Braz J Urol. 2020;46(1):5-14. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2018.0581Iglesia CB, Smithling KR.Pelvic organ prolapse.afp. 2017;96(3):179-185.National Library of Medicine.Pelvic organ prolapse: Overview.Office on Women’s Health.Pelvic organ prolapse.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Pelvic support problems.Bradley S, Gutman RE, Richter LA.Hysteropexy: An option for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse.Curr Urol Rep. 2018;19(2):15. doi:10.1007/s11934-018-0765-4Voices for PFD.Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Weintraub AY, Glinter H, Marcus-Braun N.Narrative review of the epidemiology, diagnosis and pathophysiology of pelvic organ prolapse.Int Braz J Urol. 2020;46(1):5-14. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2018.0581Iglesia CB, Smithling KR.Pelvic organ prolapse.afp. 2017;96(3):179-185.National Library of Medicine.Pelvic organ prolapse: Overview.Office on Women’s Health.Pelvic organ prolapse.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Pelvic support problems.Bradley S, Gutman RE, Richter LA.Hysteropexy: An option for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse.Curr Urol Rep. 2018;19(2):15. doi:10.1007/s11934-018-0765-4Voices for PFD.Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Weintraub AY, Glinter H, Marcus-Braun N.Narrative review of the epidemiology, diagnosis and pathophysiology of pelvic organ prolapse.Int Braz J Urol. 2020;46(1):5-14. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2018.0581Iglesia CB, Smithling KR.Pelvic organ prolapse.afp. 2017;96(3):179-185.National Library of Medicine.Pelvic organ prolapse: Overview.Office on Women’s Health.Pelvic organ prolapse.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Pelvic support problems.Bradley S, Gutman RE, Richter LA.Hysteropexy: An option for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse.Curr Urol Rep. 2018;19(2):15. doi:10.1007/s11934-018-0765-4Voices for PFD.Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse.
Weintraub AY, Glinter H, Marcus-Braun N.Narrative review of the epidemiology, diagnosis and pathophysiology of pelvic organ prolapse.Int Braz J Urol. 2020;46(1):5-14. doi:10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2018.0581
Iglesia CB, Smithling KR.Pelvic organ prolapse.afp. 2017;96(3):179-185.
National Library of Medicine.Pelvic organ prolapse: Overview.
Office on Women’s Health.Pelvic organ prolapse.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Pelvic support problems.
Bradley S, Gutman RE, Richter LA.Hysteropexy: An option for the repair of pelvic organ prolapse.Curr Urol Rep. 2018;19(2):15. doi:10.1007/s11934-018-0765-4
Voices for PFD.Prevention of pelvic organ prolapse.
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