Due to age-related changes or effects on an organ, it can change its structure, function and location. In medicine, there is a diagnosis of "pelvic organ prolapse", which often refers to the prolapse of the uterus. Uterine prolapse is a pathology that is characterized by the displacement of the uterus down to the vagina, and at the same time it can completely fall out of it. The cervix does not change its position. A woman of any age can suffer from uterine prolapse, but this pathology often occurs in women over the age of 50.
H2 Causes of uterine prolapse. Who is at risk?
Uterine prolapse occurs as a result of a violation of the structures that fix it in the pelvic cavity. The tone of the uterus itself also matters. The structures that hold the uterus can fail for several reasons.
Main causes leading to uterine prolapse:
- Surgical interventions on the pelvic organs.
- Birth defects of the pelvic organs.
- Deep tears in the perineum.
- Injuries to the genital organs that were received during childbirth, when using obstetric forceps, extracting the fetus by the buttocks, after a vacuum extractor.
- Injury to the pelvic floor muscles.
- Violation of the innervation of the reproductive system against the background of neurological diseases.
Factors that increase the risk of uterine prolapse:
- Constant heavy physical activity.
- Multiple births.
- Old age.
- Obesity, chronic constipation, pathology accompanied by frequent coughing, neoplasms in the abdominal cavity.
These conditions and processes increase intra-abdominal pressure and contribute to the development of uterine prolapse.
In today's world, where women are less and less engaged in physical exercises, moving around the city by transport, as well as "laying out" of pregnancy, the risk of developing uterine prolapse is significantly increased. If earlier such a pathology was a rarity, now uterine prolapse is becoming inevitable in some cases.
Symptoms of uterine prolapse. How does a woman feel?
The symptom that appears first and leads a woman to a doctor is frequent urination. There are also pulling pains in the lower abdomen, pressing pains in the lower abdomen, which radiate to the sacrum and lower back. Constipation appears, which aggravates the process. When the uterus descends into the vagina, a feeling of a foreign body appears.
A woman is worried about such symptoms of uterine prolapse as mucous and bloody discharge, which has become more than usual. If prolapse of the uterus has developed before the menopause period, the menstrual cycle becomes irregular, and the menstruation itself is very painful and accompanied by profuse blood loss, often leading to anemia in the woman. Sexual intercourse becomes painful, and in some cases - simply impossible.
The progression of the disease is characterized by worsening of all symptoms of uterine prolapse, difficulty urinating or urinary incontinence. In this case, there is a risk of urinary tract infections. Often a woman herself can grope for a formation that protrudes from the vagina. When uterine prolapse is detected, prolapse of the rectum and bladder is detected.
Prevention and treatment of uterine prolapse. How to protect yourself?
If there is a process that progresses, the treatment of uterine prolapse is possible only by surgery. With any type of surgery, there is a risk of recurrence due to sprains during surgery. The operation consists in shortening and strengthening the round ligaments of the uterus with their subsequent fixation to the wall of the uterus. Ligaments can also be stitched together. The wall of the uterus can be fixed during the operation to the walls of the pelvic floor.
Recently, surgeons have preferred the treatment of uterine prolapse using alloplastic materials, which are "mesh". After mesh surgery, the risk of recurrence is much lower.
Surgeries to strengthen the ligamentous-muscular apparatus are carried out together with the plastic surgery of the vagina. Treatment of uterine prolapse by surgery is carried out through the vaginal access or through the abdominal wall. A hysterectomy is performed if there are other conditions that require removal of the uterus.
For the purpose of prevention (after difficult childbirth, operations), you need to regularly perform Kegel exercises, which consist in tension of the intimate muscles of the pelvic floor. This exercise can be done anywhere and anytime. Performing regular physical exercises that are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor can prevent the progression of the process of uterine prolapse. It is important to prevent constipation. Women are not allowed to lift weights over 10 kg.
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