Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse: Relaxation or dropping of the female pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, vagina, rectum) due to decreased structural support of the pelvic floor and/or vagina.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs when one or more organs in your pelvis—your uterus, vagina, urethra or bladder—shifts downward and bulges into or even out of your vaginal canal. Some studies find the condition affects up to 40 percent of women aged 50 to 70, and one study of 1,000 women seeking routine gynecologic care found 76 percent had some form of POP.
Just one symptom associated with the condition—urinary incontinence—costs the country $20 billion annually in direct and indirect medical costs, while surgeries to correct POP cost more than $1 billion annually for those 65 and older.
The condition is poised to become much more common in the United States and other Western countries with the aging of the Baby Boomers (women ages 43-60). However, it is important to note that POP is not a condition of "little old ladies." Instead, one major study found that half the women seeking care for the condition were between 30 and 60 years old.
Many women don't have any symptoms of POP. Those that do may experience a feeling of pelvic fullness or pressure or feel as if a tampon is falling out. They may also experience incontinence, painful or uncomfortable intercourse, pain or bleeding from the vagina that's not menstrually related, lower back pain and constipation.
Treatments include lifestyle options, such as exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, devices designed to support the pelvic organs, and surgery to repair damaged ligaments and reposition the prolapsed organs.
The two main causes of POP are childbirth and aging, although obesity and menopause can also contribute. One of the few major studies of pelvic floor dysfunction, which includes POP, found that pregnancy is actually a greater risk factor than delivery, although delivery, particularly if forceps are used, is also a major risk factor. Another study found the risk of POP increased with each vaginal birth (up to five).
While cesarean section delivery reduces the risk of POP, it doesn't reduce the risk of urinary incontinence, and there is still no good evidence to support elective cesarean sections for preventing POP. Having a hysterectomy may also increase your risk of POP, depending on how the surgery was performed and how well the surgeon reattached the ligaments that typically hold up the uterus to the top of the vagina, where the cervix used to be.
Genetic factors also contribute to your risk of POP. If possible, talk to your mother, grandmother, aunts and sisters about any pelvic organ problems they've had. Also ask about urinary and fecal incontinence; although it's embarrassing to talk about, both are often associated with POP.