Is Pelvic Organ Prolapse All in the Family?

Vaginal delivery, increased BMI, age, and vaginal hysterectomy are risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse. This condition is more common in Caucasians than in African Americans or Asians, suggesting that genetic factors may also be involved. To determine the relative roles of vaginal delivery and familial factors in the development of prolapse, investigators compared 101 pairs of nulliparous and parous (>1 vaginal delivery) postmenopausal sisters.

The women completed questionnaires regarding urinary incontinence and prolapse and underwent clinical examination. Prolapse was quantified using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification staging system. Of the 101 pairs, 82% of nulliparous and 44% of parous women had no pelvic organ prolapse. When p…