Pelvic Organ Prolapse
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Evita Almassi, ealmassi@nwhn.org or (202) 682-6240
Testimony Delivered at the Meeting of the FDA Obstetrics and Gynecology Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee
If you’ve been diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), you are far from alone: research indicates up to 50 percent of women over the age of 50 experience POP, which occurs when organs sag or fall into the vaginal canal because of weakened pelvic muscles.
Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition where any of the pelvic floor organs drop into or outside of the vaginal canal or anus. The most common causes of pelvic organ prolapse are pregnancy and childbirth. Other causes include constipation, hysterectomy, and chronic, long-term coughs.
Yesterday’s announcement that the FDA is requiring clinical trials of vaginal mesh used for pelvic organ prolapse is good news for women!
A Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus that may involve removal of the cervix, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and other surrounding structures. It may be done for a variety of reasons: Uterine fibroids, bleeding, Uterine prolapse and Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries.