Vaginal prolapse & possibility of preg?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2006
Vaginal prolapse & possibility of preg?
6
Wed, 03-05-2008 - 2:41pm
I just found out I have a vaginal prolapse.  My DH and I have been TTC our second.  Now I will have to have a c-section to deliver our next baby (if one comes) and any subsequent.  We were hoping to have three more babies, but my doc doesn't recommend more than 2 c-sections.  I'm worried that being pregnant will cause the prolapse to be worse.  Or I won't be able to have more babies....Has this happened to anyone?!  I'm in shock that I have this problem, I'm not even 30!  I need some answers!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-23-2004
Fri, 03-07-2008 - 10:13am

Welcome to the board jonathans_mommy_2006.


It is probably the your vaginal prolapse was caused from your first pregnancy, especially if your son was a large baby or you had a prolonged delivery or if forceps were used during delivery.


I found this information:



There are several options for uterine prolapse. In general, treatment is necessary only if you are experiencing symptoms such as pain or pressure, urinary incontinence, urinary retention, pain with intercourse, or recurrent infections or ulcerations associated with extreme degrees of prolapse (to the point that the cervix is protruding outside the vagina). If you are not having any symptoms, there is no reason to do anything at all. If the pressure you experience at the end of the day doesn't bother you, then you do not need surgery of any sort.
A pessary -- a rubber or latex device that is placed into the vagina to elevate the uterus -- is one such option. Some pessaries look very much like a contraceptive diaphragm and are easy for the user to remove and replace herself. Others look like mushrooms or cubes and must be removed, cleaned and replaced periodically by the doctor; this latter type is not compatible with an active sex life.


Another option is a uterine suspension. This surgery may be done via a laparoscope and involves shortening the ligaments that support the uterus, thus elevating it. Success rates for this procedure are fair.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2006

Thank you for your help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-23-2004
Thu, 03-13-2008 - 10:57am

Congratulations on your pregnancy!!!


I'm glad the information I gave you helped a bit.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2006
Thu, 03-20-2008 - 11:54pm

I had an appt. with a second dr. today for another opinion.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2007

I was just searching through posts about prolapse and I saw yours and wanted to respond. I had a mild prolapse after the birth of my first son. Initially it felt like there was a ping pong ball sitting in my vagina or a pocket of air or something. That feeling eventually went away but a year after my son was born I got my first post pregnancy period and I found that I couldn't retain a tampon. That's when I decided to see a specialist (a urogynocologist) and had physical therapy (yes, there's such a thing as physical therapy for your vagina!) to help me learn how to properly work my pelvic floor muscles. After physical therapy and lots of kegels I was able to use a tampon again but I had to use a panty liner as well.


Six months ago I gave birth to our second child (vaginally) and that unfortunately made the prolapse worse. I saw another urogynocologist and was told that at this point physical therapy and kegels aren't going to work anymore and that I'll have to have surgery if I want to improve it. I'm holding off on surgery for now until we're sure we're done having kids. I was told by my doctor that I can certainly have more kids (vaginally) although it may or may not make the prolapse worse. Having a c-section doesn't necessarily protect you from pelvic floor damage b/c you still have to deal with the extra weight of the pregnancy pushing on your pelvic floor. My doctor said that they would want me to have a c-section if I got pregnant after pelvic floor surgery b/c at that point they'd want to protect the pelvic floor from as much damage as possible.


How bad is your prolapse? Are you having symptoms from it? Are you considering surgery? I'm 30 years old and I can't believe I'm in this situation either. This is definitely not something they teach you about in sex ed! My prolapse doesn't usually bother me that much but it's annoying to have that ping pong feeling every time my bladder is the slightest bit full. At this point I can't wait to have surgery but I don't want to make that decision for at least another year. In the meantime, if my prolapse becomes worse or starts bothering me more then I probably will look into the possiblity of using a pessary. Btw, you should check out the book Ever Since I Had My Baby and feel free to email me through my profile if you have any questions or want to talk.


Chrissy
mom to Aidan 8/21/03
Grayson Blaine 12/30/07

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2006
Thanks for your post Chrissy. It's always good to have women share their experiences on the board.