Women's Health
Pelvic organ prolapse
How does controversy affect your treatment?
Pelvic organ prolapse is in the national spotlight because the surgical mesh sometimes used to keep pelvic organs in place can cause complications: infection, pain, urinary trouble, and recurrence of the original problem. So what do you do if you're struggling with a sagging bladder, uterus, or rectum?
The sagging truth
For about 50% of mostly older women, the connecting tissues and muscles that hold the pelvic organs in place weaken and stretch over time, causing the organs to descend (prolapse) into the vagina. Sometimes an organ falls so much it's visible at the vaginal opening. That happens to 10% to 15% of all women, according to Dr. George Flesh, director of urogynecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.
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