How to treat uterine prolapse and urinary incontinence?

Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on January 31, 2025
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Uterine prolapse is mostly caused by childbirth injuries, long-term increase in abdominal pressure, or the degenerative changes and poor development of pelvic floor tissues. Mild uterine prolapse generally does not have noticeable symptoms. Severe uterine prolapse often accompanies anterior vaginal wall prolapse, which can lead to urinary retention and stress urinary incontinence, commonly referred to as leakage of urine. In cases of uterine prolapse with urine leakage, treatment requires enhanced nutrition, appropriate arrangement of rest and work, avoidance of heavy physical labor, and maintaining smooth bowel movements. Active treatment of chronic negative pressure increase diseases, such as constipation and chronic cough, is necessary. When uterine prolapse results in urine leakage, surgical treatment is generally required. Pelvic floor tissue repair is done, and in severe cases, hysterectomy is necessary along with the repair of the anterior and posterior vaginal walls for effective treatment.

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Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Causes of uterine prolapse

The main causes of uterine prolapse include pregnancy, childbirth injury to the pelvic floor muscles, long-term increase in abdominal pressure, such as chronic coughing, habitual constipation, and difficulty defecating. Prolonged heavy lifting. Long periods of squatting or standing, large pelvic tumors causing downward displacement of the uterus, or poor development of pelvic floor tissues and degenerative changes accompanied by prolapse of other organs. In menopausal women, due to the decline in sex hormone levels, the pelvic floor tissues may atrophy and degenerate, which can also lead to uterine prolapse or exacerbate its severity.

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Written by Li Shun Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Does uterine prolapse affect pregnancy?

Uterine prolapse, as long as it does not affect sexual intercourse, generally does not impact the ability to conceive. Uterine prolapse can be classified into three degrees. First-degree uterine prolapse does not affect pregnancy since it allows for normal sexual activity. However, in the case of third-degree uterine prolapse, the uterus has prolapsed out of the vagina and sometimes cannot be repositioned, thus interfering with sexual activity and affecting the ability to conceive. Therefore, whether uterine prolapse impacts pregnancy depends on the patient's condition, as well as whether they have normal menstruation or normal endocrine function.

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Written by Du Rui Xia
Obstetrics
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Can postpartum constipation cause uterine prolapse?

If there is severe constipation after childbirth, and it is not corrected in time, long-term constipation can lead to uterine prolapse in women. Postpartum constipation increases abdominal pressure, which affects the recovery of pelvic floor muscles, causing the loss of support in the pelvic floor muscles and thus leading to uterine prolapse. However, the main factor contributing to uterine prolapse is not constipation but the damage caused by childbirth, which is the primary cause. After childbirth, the pelvic floor muscles are weakened. Whether standing, bearing weight, or holding breath for a long period, thereby increasing abdominal pressure, can lead to the inability of the pelvic floor tissues to support and stabilize the internal organs of the pelvis, resulting in a prolapse.

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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What are the clinical manifestations of uterine prolapse?

When women experience uterine prolapse, the clinical symptoms vary depending on the severity of the condition. For instance, mild uterine prolapse often does not cause any discomfort. Severe uterine prolapse, however, may be due to the pulling of the uterus, leading to a reflex tension in the surrounding ligaments and causing congestion in the pelvic area. Women may feel pain in their sacral or lower abdominal area, which intensifies with excessive fatigue or prolonged standing. Some women may also experience stress urinary incontinence or changes in bowel behavior, such as constipation.

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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The main causes of uterine prolapse

The causes of uterine prolapse in women are complex, with the most common being pregnancy and childbirth, especially multiple childbirths, which can lead to damage to a woman's pelvic floor muscles. Some women experience this during vaginal delivery using instruments such as forceps or vacuum extractors, which can injure the pelvic muscles and lead to uterine prolapse. Some women may engage in heavy physical labor too soon after childbirth before their pelvic floor functions have recovered, affecting the recovery of pelvic tissue tension and leading to uterine prolapse. Additionally, uterine prolapse may also occur in women who are overweight, suffer from internal medical conditions such as chronic cough, ascites, or constipation, which increase the pressure inside the abdominal cavity.