What Women Need To Know About Uterine Prolapse

There are plenty of common topics that women learn about when it comes to their own reproductive health: periods, pregnancy, and menopausal changes are just a few. However, there's one alarming condition that can strike women that many women don't even know is a possibility prior to it happening: uterine prolapse. If you're a woman or worried about the health for a woman in your life, read on to learn more about this alarming problem and what can be done about it.

What It Is

Uterine prolapse is a condition where the muscles supporting the uterus can become weakened and cause the uterus to sag or even move out of alignment completely. In most cases, the uterus will slide downward into the vaginal canal, but in some instances, the uterus can actually fall out of the body. This is a rather frightening thing to have happen to you if you don't know anything about this disorder. In addition, many women feel embarrassed by it and don't know how to approach a doctor about the problem if they don't know what's going on themselves.

Who's At Risk

Women who have had multiple children are at a higher risk of developing this disorder. That's because the muscles supporting the uterus tend to get stretched out while the uterus is holding a child. In most cases, the muscles will snap back after pregnancy is complete and recover, but if a woman is pregnant often enough, they may remain stretched out and not as supportive as they once were.

In addition, older women are at risk for this condition simply because muscle strength tends to drop as people age.

How To Reduce One's Risk or Symptoms

If you think you or a loved one have uterine prolapse, you should see a doctor or gynecologist right away. They will be able to examine the problem and determine if you have uterine prolapse. In severe situations, a doctor may suggest surgically implanting a mesh support to help prevent the uterus from falling out of the body.

If you just want to reduce your risk, kegels are a great way of doing so. Kegels are exercises that help you to strengthen the muscles in your pelvis. They can be done discreetly and with or without tools. Strengthening your muscles may be enough to help control this disorder in minor cases, as well.

Uterine prolapse is a scary disorder to develop, but it's something that can be controlled with medical care. Don't put off seeing a doctor if you think you have this condition, as medical help is the only way to keep it from becoming more severe.

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