Prolapse 101

We hear a lot about prolapse, but what does this mean?  Prolapse is defined as  “displacement of a part or organ of the body from its normal position, usually downward or outward, often resulting in it protruding from an orifice.” Any organ can prolapse regardless of where it is in the body, but as pregnant and postpartum women, we most often hear about uterine prolapse and bladder prolapse or “cystocele.”   

The bladder and uterus are held and supported in their normal positions by muscles, fascia, and ligaments. Having more babies and birthdays increases  wear and tear on these supportive structures causing them to weaken and  allow the  bottom of the uterus, the bladder or both to push through the layers. 

When this occurs, the uterus or bladder can create a bulge into the vagina. Different stages describe the extent of the prolapse where stage 1 is a minor shift  and stage 4 is  where the organ(s) is protruding out of the vagina 

What are some of the causes of POP?

The most significant cause of stress the the fascia, muscles and ligaments is childbirth. Women who have had multiple pregnancies and a longer vaginal delivery are more likely to develop prolapse.

Other stresses that can lead to prolapse include :

• constipation and straining with bowel movements

• Obesity

• Severe coughing

• Repetitive heavy lifting with poor pressure management

 Can I “reverse” my POP?

Reversing POP is more about why the POP has occurred. POP as we said is multifactorial; hormones, ligament laxity, load, neurological factors,  and muscle strength all have influences on POP. If the descent is primarily from muscle weakness, we know that creating the appropriate pelvic floor strengthening program with the appropriate amount of loading can absolutely help the weakened structures. and we help  women improve their pelvic floor contraction, coordination, and strategies to help control their pressure management. 

What are the symptoms of POP?

In mild cases, you may not even know you have POP. As your POP advances, symptoms can include:

• Heaviness or discomfort  in the pelvic region, vagina,  lower abdomen, groin or lower back. 

• Feeling of something “falling out” of the vagina or visible bulge of tissue from vagina.

• Painful intercourse or menstruation

• Frequent urination or urge to urinate or leakage of urine, which can worsen with heavy lifting, coughing, laughing or sneezing

• Frequent UTI’s (bladder can’t fully empty)

How does Fitpartum treat women with POP?

We love to help our women learn about their pelvic floor and core exercises during pregnancy and postpartum stages. We teach how to improve their pelvic floor contraction, coordination, and strategies to help control their pressure management while performing the exercises they love. 

Can POP worsen with menopause?

In short, yes. Our tissues rely on estrogen to help keep their muscle tone. When estrogen levels drop after menopause, this can lead to weakness and worsening POP.

Want to learn more about Fitpartum™ and POP?  Shoot us an email at info@fitpartum.com