1 in 3 women unaware surgery can fix pelvic prolapse, survey finds

Up to half of all women will experience some degree of pelvic organ prolapse in their lifetime. The condition can cause incontinence, constipation, and the descent of the bladder or uterus into the vagina. It can become debilitating from severe pressure and chronic pain.

A new survey from Orlando Health reveals one in three women are suffering in silence with common misconceptions about pelvic prolapse:

• 50% do not know that incontinence (urine leakage) is not just a normal part of aging that women have to learn to live with.
• 30% believe pelvic prolapse only happens if you have been pregnant.
• 31% believe pelvic prolapse only happens to post-menopausal women or women over 60.
• 30% do not know surgery is an option for fixing pelvic prolapse.

“It’s very common the older you get. For women who are childbearing age, it’s about one in three. By 80 years old, half of women probably have prolapse,” said Nyarai Mushonga, M.D., double board-certified urogynecologist and reconstructive pelvic surgeon with Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health.

“The pelvic floor is like a basket of muscles. I tell patients prolapse feels like the roof of your vagina is coming down, like a tampon falling out. Pregnancy is a more common cause of a weakened pelvic floor. There’s also a genetic component.”

Dr. Mushonga offers non-surgical and surgical treatments to her patients, but said if prolapse prevents them from peeing or pooping normally, she insists on surgery since those issues could lead to further complications like kidney damage. Dr. Mushonga uses a minimally invasive pelvic reconstruction procedure, where stitches and a mesh sling secure the pelvic floor in place.

“If patients do have a uterus, the first step would be to remove it. A lot of patients think the hysterectomy is what’s going to actually fix the prolapse, but that is not the case,” Dr. Mushonga said. “The reconstruction that we perform is actually what fixes the issue.”

Rashan Williams, 41, from St. Petersburg, FL, would feel her uterus bulging from her vagina, which she said she would push back in place. This impacted her work, where she routinely lifts heavy objects, and her personal life, especially her love of travel with her wife and daughter.

“I would take frequent stops to the restroom, and I would have to pregame myself in certain situations, like, ‘Hey, before we leave, I’m gonna stop at the restroom,'” Williams said. “I had no pain, but I just knew something was there, and it wasn’t right.”

Williams spent a decade in and out of doctors’ offices with no diagnosis before she met Dr. Mushonga. Soon after, Williams received a hysterectomy, then an intraperitoneal colpopexy. Urogynecologists are a specialty within the field of gynecology. According to a 2024 study, there are about 500 board-certified urogynecologists in the United States. Williams said finding the right specialist enabled her to get relief.

“Dr. Mushonga is heaven sent,” Williams said. “Now, I don’t have any of those problems at all. Don’t be afraid to explore your options, no matter how long it takes. For myself, it was quite a journey to find out. I did have moments where I was depressed or I didn’t understand why doctors did not know what was going on, but if I would have stopped completely, I would have never taken care of myself and got the best end result.”

Dr. Mushonga said specialists perform up to 300,000 surgeries every year to correct prolapse. All women can take preventive measures, like strengthening their core and pelvic floor muscles, but oftentimes, genetics and childbirth keep women from avoiding prolapse. Dr. Mushonga recommends women practice Kegels in conjunction with a pelvic floor therapist to make sure they do the exercises correctly.

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Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries.

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Andrew Zinin

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