Pelvic organ prolapse

Matthew D Barber professor of surgery and vice chair for research

What you need to know

• Pelvic organ prolapse can substantially affect a woman’s quality of life

• The most consistent risk factors are vaginal childbirth, advancing age, increasing body mass index, and prior hysterectomy

• Evaluate and offer treatment to women only if they report bothersome symptoms

• Effective conservative treatments include vaginal pessaries and pelvic floor physical therapy

• Surgery is generally reserved for patients with bothersome prolapse symptoms who have at least stage 2 prolapse on examination when conservative treatments have failed or no longer works

BMJ 2016;354:i3853 doi: 10.1136/bmj.i3853 (Published 20 July 2016)