Tamara Thomas

Urban Health Today

&#8203;&#8203;A study published in the Journal Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology has found that women with excess fat around their abdomen are at a greater risk for pelvic organ prolapse, particularly those who are younger than 60 years or without a history of hysterectomy.Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the pelvic muscle becomes weakened or stretched. This can cause organs such as the vagina, uterus, bladder, or rectum to shift or &ldquo;fall&rdquo; from their normal position, leading to symptoms such as vaginal bulging or urinary issues.Previous research has found that women who are overweight and lose as little as 5% of their body weight can lessen or prevent pelvic floor disorders.&nbsp;For this study, Dr. Keyi Si of Tongji University in Shanghai, China, and colleagues evaluated the relationship between central obesity (a type of obesity characterized by excess fat around the abdomen) and general obesity and the risk of pelvic organ prolapse.The researchers included about 251000 women who did not have an existing pelvic organ prolapse. The median age of the participants in the study was about 57 years.&nbsp;Of the participants, 60.9% were postmenopausal, and 17.2% had undergone hysterectomy. The researchers followed the women for almost 14 years.During the follow-up period, Dr. Si and colleagues identified 9781 cases of pelvic organ prolapse. Of these, about 71.2% affected only one specific area within the pelvis.The researchers found that 21.7% of all pelvic organ prolapse cases were attributed to central obesity, while 2% were attributable to being overweight without central obesity.Interestingly, the researchers found that the risk of pelvic organ prolapse was almost 50% higher in women with central obesity regardless of their body mass index (BMI). Women who were overweight without central obesity had nearly half the risk at 23%.The researchers also found that the degree of risk of pelvic organ prolapse associated with central obesity varied with age and history of hysterectomy. For example, women younger than 60 had a higher risk than those 60 and older (57% vs 39%). Those without a history of hysterectomy also had a higher risk (54% vs 27%).&nbsp;According to the researchers, a waist-to-height ratio of 0.5 or greater and a BMI of 25 or higher are associated with an increased risk for pelvic organ prolapse. These findings suggest that losing weight might help reduce the risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Source:<a href="https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/treating-obesity-may-reduce-pelvic-organ-prolapse-risk-2024a1000k90"> Medscape</a>Journal: &nbsp; <a href="https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2025/01000/association_of_central_and_general_obesity.20.aspx">&nbsp;Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology&nbsp;</a>

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Research has found that overweight women who lose as little as 5% of their body weight can lessen or prevent pelvic floor disorders.