Prolapse

Four women chat as they walk along an exterior building walkway. They all also each have a cup of coffee.

Prolapse (or falling) of any pelvic floor organs (vagina, uterus, bladder or rectum) occurs when the connective tissues or muscles in the body cavity are weak and cannot hold the pelvis in its natural position.

More than 120,000 women undergo surgery for uterine and vaginal vault prolapse each year in the United States.

Causes

The weakening of connective tissues accelerates with a variety of factors:

After childbirth
Age
Pelvic pressure
Sexual dysfunction
Strenuous physical labor
Urinary incontinence
Vaginal ulceration (bulge)
Weight gain

Treatment

Surgical
Colpocleisis
Sacrocolpopexy
Sacrospinous ligament fixation
Uterosacral ligament plication
Vaginal cystocele/rectocele repair
Non-Surgical
Pelvic floor therapy
Pessary