Epidemiology

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is common in the US. An epidemiological evaluation of a large healthcare population suggests that American women have an 11.1% risk of POP and urinary incontinence surgery by the age of 80, with nearly 30% undergoing more than one procedure.[1] In the Women's Health Initiative, 41% of women aged 50 to 79 years had POP, including cystocele (34%), rectocele (19%), and uterine prolapse (14%).[2]​ In another cross sectional study, 2.9% of women reported POP.[3]​ The incidence of cases in which the prolapse reaches the hymen varies from 2% to 48%, and the incidence of cases in which it reaches beyond the hymen varies from 2% to 4%.[1]​ Over the next 30 years, it is projected that the number of women wiith pelvic floor disorders will increase substantially, because of the changing population demographics in the US.​[4]

In the UK, the Oxford Family Planning Association Study of 17,032 women between the ages of 25 and 39 years revealed that the incidence of patients admitted to hospital with prolapse was 2.04 per 1000 person-years of risk.[5]

Only 10% to 20% of women will seek help for their problem.[6]

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