Procidentia occurs when the ligaments and muscles of the pelvic floor are stretched and weakened to the point that they can no longer provide support to the uterus. When this happens, the uterus slips into the vagina or bulges out of it. Uterine prolapse may occur at any age in a woman, but it most often occurs in postmenopausal women with a history of one or multiple vaginal deliveries.
Uterine prolapse is divided into five stages depending on how far the uterus protrudes into the vagina:
Treatment may not be necessary for mild prolapsed uterus, but if it causes uncomfortable symptoms or disturbs routine life, treatment might be beneficial.
Mild uterus prolapse usually doesn’t have any symptoms. But these are some of the symptoms and signs of severe or moderate uterine prolapse:
Often, symptoms of uterine prolapse cause fewer problems during the morning hours and are more bothersome during the evening.
Prolapsed uterus occurs due to weakening of the muscles and supportive tissues of the pelvis. The pelvic tissues and muscles may weaken due to the following reasons:
Treatment of prolapsed uterus depends on how severe the condition is. According to the severity, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments.
Various self-care measures including lifestyle changes and exercise may provide relief if your uterine prolapse causes no or few symptoms. Your doctor may recommend the following self-care measures:
Your physician may recommend surgery to repair a prolapsed uterus. When deciding on whether or not to have surgery, one of the major factors is the gravity of your symptoms. Your doctor may also consider the following:
Surgery may help relieve many of your symptoms, but it may also cause new problems such as pelvic pain, pain while having sex, or urinary incontinence.
Types of surgery for uterine prolapse:
There are three kinds of surgery for uterus prolapse including:
A vaginal pessary is a rubber or a plastic ring that is inserted into the vagina to provide support to the protruding tissues. It’s a good method for supporting a uterine prolapse. A vaginal pessary may be a good option if you don’t want to undergo surgery, have another medical illness that makes corrective surgery risky, or plan to get pregnant.
There are different kinds and sizes of pessaries available, and your physician will choose the best one according to your condition. The type of pessary that is most commonly used is the ring pessary. It is important to get the right size of pessary, and finding your correct size may require more than a single attempt. It’s vital to regularly remove and clean a pessary.
Many women who have a prolapsed uterus don’t require treatment. You may need treatment if symptoms cause distress or become bothersome. Your doctor may decide to treat the condition based on these factors:
A general gynecologist can do the workup for uterus prolapse if you don’t have any associated bowel, sexual, or urinary health problems. If you have concurrent symptoms, then a team of different healthcare professionals (which may include a urologist, a urogynecologist, a colorectal surgeon, a geriatrician, a physiotherapist who specializes in women's health, and/or specialized nursing staff) may participate in your care too because the gastrointestinal and urinary outlets are so near each other in the body.
Procidentia or uterine prolapse occurs due to weakening of the muscles and tissues of the pelvic floor. Symptoms may develop gradually, and you may not notice them initially. Lifestyle changes and pelvic floor exercises may provide relief from symptoms for some people. For others, a vaginal pessary can relieve symptoms. If nonsurgical treatments don’t relieve your symptoms, surgery may be a good option for treating a uterine prolapse.
