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Self-perceived natural history of pelvic organ prolapse described by women presenting for treatment

International Urogynecology Journal volume 20, pages 927–931 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

This study aimed to describe the self-perceived natural history of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women seeking care.

Methods

Women presenting to a university-based urogynecology clinic for POP (n = 107) completed a questionnaire including questions about how and when their prolapse was discovered. A urogynecologic examination including the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) was also performed.

Results

Forty-eight percent of these women sought medical attention “immediately” after discovering a bulge. The median time to seek care was 4 months (range from 1 month to 45 years). Twenty-six percent associated their prolapse with a specific event (e.g., moving furniture or pushing a car). POP was self-discovered by 76% (81/107) of women. Self-discovered prolapses were larger than those diagnosed by physicians (Ba +1.3 vs 0.1 cm, P = .03, respectively).

Conclusions

Women seek medical advice within months of discovering their prolapse. Self-discovery is associated with higher stage prolapse than prolapse diagnosed by health care providers.

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Abbreviations

POP:

Pelvic organ prolapse

POP-Q:

Pelvic organ prolapse quantification

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Acknowledgement

We gratefully acknowledge support from the Office for Research on Women’s Health SCOR on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grants 1 P50 HD044406 and R01 HD 38665.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Pelvic Floor Research Group, Division of Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Christina Lewicky-Gaupp, Rebecca U. Margulies, Kindra Larson, Dee E. Fenner, Daniel M. Morgan & John O. L. DeLancey

  2. Women’s Hospital L4100, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-0276, USA

    Christina Lewicky-Gaupp

Authors
  1. Christina Lewicky-Gaupp
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  2. Rebecca U. Margulies
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  3. Kindra Larson
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  4. Dee E. Fenner
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  5. Daniel M. Morgan
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  6. John O. L. DeLancey
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Correspondence to Christina Lewicky-Gaupp.

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Lewicky-Gaupp, C., Margulies, R.U., Larson, K. et al. Self-perceived natural history of pelvic organ prolapse described by women presenting for treatment. Int Urogynecol J 20, 927–931 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0890-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-009-0890-1

Keywords

  • Natural history
  • Pelvic organ prolapse