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An epidemiologic study of pelvic organ prolapse in rural Chinese women: a population-based sample in China

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

We aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in rural China.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of POP was conducted in rural China from February 2014 to March 2016. In total, 25,864 rural women were recruited. All were asked to complete a questionnaire that included questions about their age, job, parity, diseases, and so on. Symptomatic POP was assessed using Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system staging and validation questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with symptomatic POP.

Results

The prevalence of symptomatic POP was 9.10%. There was a consistent trend toward an increasing prevalence of POP with increasing age, ranging from 2.53 to 13.40% (P < 0.0001). Women aged 50–59 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46–2.37] were more likely to have POP than women aged 20–29 years. POP was positively associated with giving birth to more than three children (AOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.88–2.43). Cesarean section was a significant protective factor (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.33-0.49) compared with vaginal delivery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that obesity, constipation, smoking, coughing, gynecological diseases, and other physical diseases were also associated with POP.

Conclusions

Symptomatic POP affects a substantial proportion of women in rural China. Older age, multiparity, vaginal delivery, obesity, and many chronic conditions significantly increased the odds of developing symptomatic POP. Additional healthcare campaigns are needed to educate women in rural areas about POP.

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Abbreviations

POP:

Pelvic organ prolapse

POP-Q:

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification

AOR:

Adjusted odds ratio

CIs:

Confidence intervals

BMI:

Body mass index

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Acknowledgments

This study obtained ethical approval from clinical trials.gov and http://www.chictr.org.cn (number: ChiCTR-OCH-14004675). Written consent was obtained from all eligible participants. All eligible patients were invited to participate in the study, and those who agreed were provided with a written informed consent form to sign. Ethical approval for the research was sought and obtained from the Research Ethical Committee at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital in 2014.

Funding

This study was funded by the CAMS Initiative for Innovative Medicine (CAMS-I2 M; 2017-I2 M-1-002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 ShuaiFu Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Zhiyi Li & Lan Zhu

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Tao Xu

  3. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Children’s Hospital of Shanxi Province, Shanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Zhaoai Li

  4. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Jian Gong

  5. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Qing Liu

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  1. Zhiyi Li
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  2. Tao Xu
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  3. Zhaoai Li
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  5. Qing Liu
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  6. Lan Zhu
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Correspondence to Lan Zhu.

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Li, Z., Xu, T., Li, Z. et al. An epidemiologic study of pelvic organ prolapse in rural Chinese women: a population-based sample in China. Int Urogynecol J 30, 1925–1932 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-018-03859-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-018-03859-9

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