What predisposes young women to genital prolapse?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the predictive factors for genital prolapse.


METHODS
We studied 85 young (< or = 45 year old) women who had been operated on for genital prolapse. The control group consisted of women of the same age operated on for benign ovarian tumor.


RESULTS
In the study group the number of deliveries was higher and the babies were heavier than in the control group. However, the study group had not had more instrumental deliveries. In addition, the women with prolapses more often had operations of abdominal hernias and also had more chronic pulmonary disease, e.g. asthma. The incidence of preterm delivery was the same in the women with genital prolapse as in the controls. Familial incidence of genital prolapse was about 30%.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirms that there are both acquired and congenital factors that predispose women to genital prolapse.
University Hospital of Kuopio, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Finland.
K M
KM
Rinne
P P
PP
Kirkinen
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D010298:Parity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014599:Uterus / Q000601:surgery