24 Percent Of U.S. Women Affected By Pelvic Floor Disorders

Nearly 24 percent of U.S. women are affected with one or more pelvic floor disorders, report researchers.

Their analysis is the first to document in a nationally representative sample the extent of pelvic floor disorders, a cluster of health problems that causes physical discomfort and limits activity.

Pelvic floor disorders result when the muscles and connective tissue within the pelvic cavity weaken or are injured.

These muscles and ligaments form a sling across the opening of a woman’s pelvis, holding the bladder, uterus, bowel, and rectum in place.

The three main pelvic floor disorders are urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse results when pelvic organs such as the uterus, bladder and bowel, collapse onto the vagina.

The resulting pressure may cause a bulge or protrusion through the vaginal canal. This protrusion may be uncomfortable, may make physical activity difficult, and may interfere with sexual functioning.

The study also revealed that the frequency of pelvic floor disorders increases with age, affecting more than 40 percent of women from 60 to 79 years of age, and about 50 percent of women 80 and older.

Read more at News-Medical