• Posted May 12, 2026

Millions of Women Suffer in Silence From Treatable Pelvic Organ Prolapse

For years, Rashan Williams, a 41-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, planned family trips around one thing — the nearest restroom.

"I would take frequent stops to the restroom, and I would have to pregame myself in certain situations, like, 'Hey, before we leave, I'm gonna stop to the restroom,' " Williams said.

Then came another alarming symptom.

"No pain but I just knew something was there and it wasn't right," she recalled.

Williams was experiencing pelvic organ prolapse — a condition in which weakened pelvic muscles allow organs like the bladder or uterus to drop into the vaginal canal.

Experts say it affects millions of women, yet many suffer in silence.

"It's common in older ladies. I tell patients like the roof of your vagina is coming down like a tampon falling out," said Dr. Nyarai Mushonga, a urogynecologist and reconstructive pelvic surgeon at Florida Medical Clinic Orlando Health.

But despite how common it is, misconceptions persist.

A new Orlando Health survey found half of women incorrectly think bladder leakage is simply a normal part of aging. Nearly a third think pelvic organ prolapse only affects women over 60. Another third think you have to have been pregnant to develop the condition, and 1 in 3 women don’t know that surgery is even an option.

For Williams, getting answers took nearly a decade, leaving her frustrated and at times depressed.

"I was really getting the door shut in my face because nobody knew what to do or knew what it was," she said.

That changed when she met Mushonga. 

"The minute she explained it I finally had a name for it," Williams said. "Immediate relief."

Because her prolapse was severe, Williams needed surgery. Mushonga performed a minimally invasive procedure designed to permanently repair the damage using stitches and a mesh sling to support the pelvic organs.

"We describe it to patients like it's wearing suspenders. So, the suspenders are holding the pants up," Mushonga said. "The stitches are what's holding the vagina up."

After the outpatient procedure, Williams’ symptoms and her incontinence were gone, and her quality of life improved.

"After that second week, I felt fine," she said. "I was up, running around, moving around and just getting back to my normal life — just felt really easy."

Doctors say while childbirth, aging and genetics can increase risk, strengthening core and pelvic floor muscles and seeking treatment early can make a major difference.

More information

The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists has more on pelvic organ prolapse.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, May 12, 2026