What are the common causes of pelvic organ prolapse?
Dr. Alinsod: The most common cause of prolapse is having babies. All those forces stretch out the tissues, and nerves can also be damaged that control the pelvic muscles. We’re also having increased weight gain in our society, and as we get heavier and heavier there is more and more pressure pushing down on the pelvis. Chronic smoking, chronic coughing, or frequent heavy lifting can also lead to prolapse. If you think of the pelvis as a funnel with one opening you can see how forces are created to push pelvic organs out. Uterus1: What role does a loss of estrogen play in contributing to prolapse? Dr. Alinsod: I believe it plays a large role because all the pelvic tissues have a great deal of estrogen receptors. Estrogen keeps the tissues soft and pliable and estrogen is also responsible for keeping muscle tone quite good in the pelvis. As you get into menopause, estrogen diminishes and the vaginal tissues get thinner and stretchier and you lose collagen. Lack of estrogen means loss of
