Why prolapsed uterus

Discuss with your provider if this treatment is right for you. Surgery : Surgical repair of a prolapsed uterus can be performed through the vagina or abdomen. It involves skin grafting, or using donor tissue or other material to provide uterine suspension. A hysterectomy may be recommended. If future pregnancies are intended, surgery may not be recommended, due to the risks of undoing the effects of surgical repair.

Mild uterine prolapse can be treated with Kegel exercises, weight management and avoidance of heavy lifting. How to do a proper Kegel is vital to the success of the treatment. These exercises can be done anywhere and at any time and can help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Your health care provider or physical therapist can instruct you on how to perform a proper Kegel while in the office, at which time proper technique can be evaluated.

Sometimes, a technique called biofeedback may be applied. During biofeedback treatments, a device will monitor proper muscle contraction, the strength of the pelvic floor and timing of Kegels. This reinforces proper technique of the exercises. Speak with your health care provider if you have any questions or for the evaluation and treatment of symptoms of uterine prolapse.

They can make recommendations on a treatment choice that is best for you. A look at bicornuate uterus, a condition where the uterus is shaped like a heart. Uterine prolapse occurs when the muscles and tissue in your pelvis weaken.

The weakness lets the uterus drop down into your vagina. Sometimes, it comes out through your vaginal opening. Nearly half of all women between ages 50 and 79 have this condition. This lets it drop into your vagina.

If your healthcare provider thinks that you have a prolapsed uterus, he or she will probably do a physical exam to check your pelvis. Your healthcare provider might also order an MRI magnetic resonance imaging. This procedure uses a magnet and radio waves to create images. This will allow your healthcare provider to get a good look at your kidneys and other pelvic organs.

Our team of compassionate urogynecologists uses the latest research and advanced technologies to treat a range of pelvic floor disorders. Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, may help. So can doing Kegel exercises. These strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. To do this exercise, you squeeze the muscles you use to control the flow of urine, and hold for up to 10 seconds then release.

Repeat 50 times a day. A pessary can also relieve symptoms. This is a device your healthcare provider inserts into your vagina to support your pelvic organs. A hysterectomy is a surgery to remove your uterus.

Other pelvic organs such as the bladder or bowel may also be prolapsed into the vagina. The four categories of uterine prolapse are:. The pelvic floor and associated supporting connective tissues can be weakened or damaged in many ways including:. Treatments for uterine prolapse include surgical and non-surgical options, the choice of which will depend on general health, the severity of the condition and plans for a future pregnancy.

Treatment options include:. Stage I and II uterine prolapse in particular can be helped by pelvic floor muscle exercises, but they need to be done correctly and practised long enough to strengthen the muscles. Although the following information may give you some ideas about how to do PF exercises, it is imperative to seek professional help from a pelvic floor physiotherapist if you have a prolapse.

Familiarising yourself with the muscles of the vagina, urethra and anus gives you a better chance of performing the exercises correctly. You can perform these exercises lying down, sitting or standing.

Ideally, aim for five or six sessions every day while you are learning the exercises. After you have a good understanding of how to do the exercises, three sessions each day is enough. Before you start, direct your attention to your pelvic floor muscles.

Try to relax your abdominal muscles, buttocks and leg muscles. Squeeze and lift the urethra, vagina and anus and hold the tension for three seconds if you can. Release completely. Then perform the exercises, which include:. A pessary is a flexible device which can be fitted into the vagina to support the uterus.

There are different shapes and sizes of pessary, which can be prescribed and fitted by a suitably trained health professional. Women can be taught to remove and re-insert their pessary much like a tampon. However, regular reviews with your gynaecologist or doctor are necessary.

Vaginal pessaries can be an effective way of reducing the symptoms of a prolapse, but they will not be appropriate for everyone. Together with pelvic floor exercises, they may provide a non-surgical solution to manage a uterine prolapse.

In moderate to severe cases, the prolapse may have to be surgically repaired. In laparoscopic surgery, instruments are inserted through the navel. The uterus is pulled back into its correct position and reattached to its supporting ligaments. The operation can also be performed with an abdominal incision. Surgery may fail and the prolapse can recur if the original cause of the prolapse, such as obesity, coughing or straining, is not addressed.

Consult your pelvic floor physiotherapist for help with this. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Androgen deficiency in women and its treatment is controversial, and more research is needed.