Prolapse and sex
Prolapse and sex an often taboo subject veiled in unnecessary fear and emotion for women.
Feelings of embarrassment and even shame can make women feel needlessly unattractive and even somehow damaged. This can be especially challenging for a woman’s self confidence with intimacy, especially when entering a new relationship.
Read on now to learn the real facts about prolapse and sex
- Will your partner notice your prolapse?
- Will sex make my prolapse worse?
- Will your prolapse decrease your mutual pleasure?
- How to improve sex if you have a prolapse?
If you’ve had a diagnosis of a mild or moderate prolapse whether it is a uterine prolapse, bladder prolapse (cystocoele) or prolapse of the rectum into the vagina (rectocoele) the thought of intimacy may affect your behaviour in the bedroom. Perhaps you seek to avoid intimacy for fear of discovery or maybe you do everything you can to disguise your prolapse by staying covered and keeping the lights off.
Let’s dispel some unhelpful thinking with the real facts related to prolapse sex…
Unhelpful thought #1: My partner will feel or see my prolapse
Fact: your partner is highly unlikely to notice your prolapse! Men are almost always blissfully unaware of the presence of a vaginal prolapse during sex. In fact it takes many months if not years to be able to diagnose a prolapse with careful examination when you are actually looking for one. So unless your partner is a gynaecologist, you can rest assured that he will usually not feel or see your prolapse.
Unhelpful thought #2: Sex could worsen my prolapse
Fact: penetrative vaginal intercourse is most unlikely to worsen a vaginal prolapse. If you think about it, having a prolapse means the walls of your vagina are bulging down or your cervix has dropped down within your vagina. Sexual intercourse does not pull or draw a vaginal prolapse down any further, in fact quite the opposite. Most women can carry on with their sex lives most happily despite having a vaginal prolapse. Sex will not make a prolapse worse. We recommend that you discuss this issue with your doctor should you have any specific safety concerns.
Unhelpful thought #3: My prolapse will affect my own, or my partner’s pleasure with sex
Fact: your prolapse should not affect your partner’s level of physical stimulation. A man or a woman is aroused by stimuli which may be mental or physical. The actual physical stimulation from touching body parts causes sensitive nerves to release chemicals that are pleasurable. A vaginal prolapse rarely affects the sensation a man receives during intercourse. For the women, a prolapse does not affect her pleasure sensitive clitoral nerve endings either. Your partner is most likely to be blissfully unaware of your prolapse during intercourse.
How to improve sex with a vaginal prolapse
Perform regular pelvic floor exercises or kegel exercises. As your pelvic floor muscles increase in strength, so too should your sexual sensation. A woman’s pelvic floor muscles surround the entrance to the vagina, and also attach to the clitoris. Regular exercise of her pelvic floor muscles will help a woman’s sexual arousal and ability to achieve orgasm. Kegel exercises will also help to improve the pelvic floor muscle support of your prolapse so they are indeed worthwhile for women with prolapse!
Pelvic floor exercises for men can also improve sex by increasing their ability to maintain an erection by preventing blood escaping from the erect penis. In fact pelvic floor exercises have been shown to be an effective method for treating erectile dysfunction in men (Dorey, 2005). So both women and men can benefit from regular pelvic floor exercises when it comes to sexual satisfaction.
Consider using a pelvic exerciser. If your pelvic floor muscles lack strength, a pelvic exerciser can improve pelvic floor strength, sensation with intercourse and prolapse support. While many pelvic exercisers are not appropriate for women with vaginal prolapse, Smartballs are unique in that they have actually been designed for use by women with uterine prolapse. Vaginal weighted balls such as Smartballs can be used to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, just as you would use resistance exercises in the gym.
Adopt helpful thinking in the bedroom when it comes to prolapse and sex by remembering the facts stated above. If you have a vaginal prolapse feel confident in the knowledge that many women lead happy sex lives without giving their prolapse a second thought. Remember that your partner is most unlikely to have any knowledge of the existence of your prolapse through looking or feeling. Know that your prolapse should not affect either yours or your partner’s sexual satisfaction. In fact if you can adopt this helpful positive thinking, dispel unhelpful thoughts and even be a little adventurous – your sex life may even flourish.
This article has been written specifically for women with mild to moderate (but not including severe) vaginal prolapse to present them with some facts about an often taboo subject. We hope this information helps you feel more confident in yourself and your intimate relationships.
Michelle Kenway is a physiotherapist and author of Inside Out – the essential women’s guide to pelvic support.
Please read our disclaimer regarding this information
This information is provided for general information only and should in no way be considered as a substitute for medical advice and information about your particular condition.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, the author accepts no responsibility and cannot guarantee the consequences if individuals choose to rely upon these contents as their sole source of information about a condition and its rehabilitation. Pelvic exercises accept no liability to any person for the information or advice provided, or for loss or damages incurred as a result of reliance upon the material contained herein.
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Is it safe to use an internal vibrator with a prolapse issue? As far as I know there are the two main types: the rabbit type that rotates and the more traditional type of stationary vibrator. Are both safe for use with prolapse? Are there any toys that need to be avoided?
Hi Rachel
This is an interesting question and one only your specialist could answer in relation to your particular case. With mild to moderate prolapse penetrative intercourse is not usually problematic so it is difficult to see how a stationary vibrator would differ from penetrative intercourse. There is no current research available on this issue to my knowledge.
While inserting a nuva ring for the first time i notice something didnt seem quite right. I have no health insurance so turned to the internet! I am quite sure I have a mild prolapse. I have had 3 children..my youngest being 10lbs delivered vaginal and I am a CNA..a job requiring MUCh heavy lifting. I was very embarrassed and depressed…but reading this article helped me greatly, i was worried what my husband would think/feel…but now I can relax a little bit. Thank you.
I am so glad this helped you Betty, cheers Michelle
I can feel my rectal prolapse when i introduce my finger, in fact i can move it upwards,can you consider this as a moderate prolapse?
Hi Catherine
Thanks for your question on Prolapse Severity
Vaginal proplapse severity is graded as mild, moderate or severe according to how far the lowest edge of the prolapse descends within (and out of) the vagina. Just being able to feel the prolapse with your finger does not necessarily mean it is classified as moderate in size. When the prolapsed tissue becomes close to and/or starts to protrude beyond the hymen, the prolapse classification changes from mild to moderate. It is worth remembering that a prolapse examined lying down can appear to be quite different to when standing up as gravity will have an effect on the prolapse.
Cheers
Michelle
I have just been diagnosed with mild vaginal, rectal and bladder prolapse. I don't see any mention of exercises to address all of these areas. Are there any?
Hi Kathy
When it comes to pelvic prolapse, the terminology can be tricky, for example bladder prolapse or cystocoele as it was also previously called, is now referred to as anterior vaginal wall prolapse. The principles for managing your prolapse in general will apply to all three areas, it is not different management for different prolapse if this makes sense.
In very simple terms prolapse management involves improving your pelvic floor support with pelvic floor / kegel exercises and reducing those factors that place pressure on your prolapse and pelvic floor by reducing the amount of downward pressure with: good bowel management, safe lifting, appropriate general exercise, using your pelvic floor muscles when you cough/sneeze/lift etc.
All exercise for prolapse regardless of the type of prolapse involves pelvic floor exercises or Kegel exercises. You will find extensive information and instrucional videos at our pelvic floor exercises library.
The best place to start looking for our prolapse information is at our Pelvic Prolapse library. You will see a long list of articles and videos on the right hand side facing you on your screen.
A good general article for you to start with is this one on bladder prolapse Remember that all those factors that place pressure on your bladder prolapse will be the same as those impacting upon the other areas of prolapse you have also.
I hope this gives you a good starting point Kathy
Regards
Michelle
I have been diagnosed with a severe cystocele and a mild to moserate uterine prolapse. I bought a Kegel 8 machine and do pelcic floor exercises manually – as instructed by my gynae-physio. I think it helps to avoid immediate surgery.
Hope this helps
I have moderate diastasis abdominus recti and bladder prolapse/rectocele. Do you know if possibly one is causing the other?
Thank you
Rectus diastasis and bladder prolapse/rectoceole
Hi
Thanks so much for this question on rectus diastasis and prolapse.
In short, no a rectus diastasis does not cause a pelvic prolapse however a woman may be predisposed to both if she has flexible connective tissue…
For the benefit of other readers a rectus diastasis is a split split/separation in the abdominal muscle sheath that joins the upper abdominal or “six pack” muscles in the midline between the sternum and the navel. A separationof the abdominal muscles usually results from pregnancy including large babies and multiple pregnancy weakening and stretching this tissue. It is not possible for a rectus diastasis to cause a pelvic prolapse or vice versa. What we do know however that some women have connective tissue that is quite flexible. These women often have hypermobile (very flexible) joints and can be prone to problems resulting from ligament laxity. These women are also predisposed to pelvic prolapse owing to the flexibility of their tissues, and I would think that this would also apply to rectus diastasis – the more flexible the connective tissue, the greater the likelihood of stretch perhaps beyond the limits of extensibility.
Hope this helps
Michelle
Recently i went for my appointment after having my hysterectomy a year ago. they did some surgery on my pelvic too.
when my urogynae checked my vagina, she said mine is loose, and she was not happy.
when i am together with my hubby, i am not comfortable and feel weak after that. both of us cant enjoy at all.
pls advice how should i overcome. need your advice.
hey i have been with my boyfriend for 6 months now and im only 17 but had really bad constipation ages ago and feel i have a prolapse. my vagina feels so tight where the muscles are buldging downwards and i think my cervix has moved down as i can touch it with my fingers, im unsure if the cervix will move upwards still during sex to fit the penis in? and im soo worried my boyfriend will notice something is wrong as it will be totally embarrising , but i really want to sleep with him as i believe i am in love with him, the prolapse is not coming outside of my vagina , but i feel the canal is only around 2 inches deep and i wonder how this will effect our intercorse? i am planning on trying sex on sunday and seeing how it goes, and i do not want to go to the doctors because i am too embarrist. i have constipation and find it hard to empy my bowls but urinating for me is normal and easy and i am still able to produce my own lubricant, i can feel buldges when i insert my finger so scarred to let my partner up there incase he feels it too? PLEASE HELP
Hi Emily
I understand your embarrassment and your worry about this problem however with this kind of issue you do need to go to the doctor to get it diagnosed correctly. Try to see a doctor who you think you can speak with openly. If you don’t know one and you can’t speak with your parents about this, then ask a trusted friend- perhaps a mature woman who she sees for her women’s health issues. Most doctors speak to women about women’s health problems such as yours on a very regular basis so they are accustomed to dealing with these types of issues. Then once you know what you are dealing with you can take action towards management. It does sound as though it would be a good idea to speak to your doctor about your constipation issue as well as the two may very well be related.
Best wishes
Michelle
Thanks Michelle i think i will do eventully it is just plucking up the currage to do it , do u know if my boyfriend will notice ? and will sexual intercorse be possible , i am very worried /: i know he loves me but i dont want him to think i am disgusting
Hi Emily
Even with a moderate prolapse women can have intercourse and in most cases the male partner cannot feel the prolapse. If you can insert a tampon readily then this gives some indication of the likelihood of successful penetration . I will also add that one would never think any less of any woman with a prolapse even if they did know about it. Feel proud about your body Emily, a prolapse is nothing to feel ashamed about at all and it often takes years of training to be able to even diagnose a prolapse let alone notice one during intercourse.
Best of luck MIchelle
Thankyou so much, me and my partner had sex the other night and it was great! ( bit painful at first but got better!) do you know if kegal exersizes can completly reverse prolapse? i am doing them very regularly and hoping for the best because i am only 17 and do want children in the future , im so glad i found this website michelle and you have been a great help to me !
x
Hi Emily
No a prolapse can’t be reversed however the symptoms can be alleviated in cases of mild to moderate prolapse with Kegel exercises. The other option for women who wish to have children is to be fitted with a pessary ring for prolapse support. This needs to be discussed with your doctor and fitted by a gynaecologist. There are also pessary rings that a woman can insert as she need to in order to support her prolapse. There is no reason why having a prolapse would prevent any future pregnancy. It would be advisable to seek some pelvic floor rehabilitation and guidance from a trained physiotherapist well prior to this to ensure your pelvic floor support. The other potential issue is constipation that often accompanies pregnancy and this needs to well managed also to avoid straining during and after pregnancy.
I am glad to assist you Emily, stay in touch.
Michelle
ahhh so im stuck with it for the rest of my life because i dont want surgery :'( thats soo upsetting for me
since its getting better slowly i hoped it would all go back to normal 
, and can you still give birth vaginaly with prolapse? because i really dont want a cizerian and me and my boyfriend were thinking of having a child soon, but i dont want him or nobody to find out i have a prolapse , i have soo much stress in my life caused by it ! i just want to be a normal healthy woman!
Hi Emily I don't mean to sound mean, but if you can't talk to your boyfriend about these things, do you think you should bring a new life into the world with him?