​Diagnosing pelvic organ prolapse

Women's Health experts at The Christ Hospital Health Network know accurate diagnosis of your pelvic organ prolapse symptoms is important to getting you the leading-edge treatment you deserve.

Your doctor will take your medical history and conduct thorough pelvic and rectal exams. It's important that you share all your symptoms with your doctor and be open about their impact on your quality of life. Our goal is to help you get back to doing the things you enjoy.

Additional tests that may be necessary for diagnosis include:

• Cystography—X-ray procedure using a thin tube and camera to inject contrast dye into the bladder

• Defecography—radiologic study to look at bowel function

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images

• Ultrasound exam—uses high-frequency sound waves to capture live images from the inside of your body

• Urodynamics study—assesses difficulty with urination or incontinence issues
  

Diagnosis may reveal one of several types of prolapse:

• Anterior prolapse—occurs when the bladder falls into the vagina

• Posterior prolapse—occurs when the rectum or intestine drops into the vagina

• Rectal prolapse—occurs when the rectum detaches from the rectal wall and drops into or out of the vagina

• Uterine prolapse—occurs when the top part of the vagina detaches from the pelvic floor 
  

Next steps

If you have been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, your doctor will discuss your medical and surgical treatment options.

Think you might have pelvic organ prolapse? Make an appointment with one of our Women's Health experts who specialzes in pelvic organ prolapse.