Pelvic Organ Prolapse Checker

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) happens when the muscles and connective tissue that support the pelvic organs weaken or stretch, so one or more organs — the bladder, the uterus, the top of the vagina, or the rectum — drop and press against the walls of the vagina. The most familiar feeling is pressure, heaviness, or a bulge “coming down” at the vaginal opening, often worse by the end of the day or with standing, lifting, coughing, or straining, and easier when lying down. It is a common condition and, importantly, it is not dangerous — but it is worth having looked at, because there are good ways to help.

Common symptoms include a feeling of pressure, heaviness, or fullness low in the pelvis; a bulge you can see or feel at or near the vaginal opening; and symptoms that get worse through the day or with standing, lifting, or straining and ease when you lie down. Depending on which wall is affected, people also notice trouble fully emptying the bladder or needing to press near the vaginal opening to urinate (front-wall / cystocele), or trouble fully emptying the bowel or needing to press to pass stool (back-wall / rectocele). Some people have a low backache or a dragging sensation. Many people have mild prolapse with few or no symptoms at all.

No — although they often go together, they're different problems. Bladder leaks (urinary incontinence) mean urine escapes when you don't want it to — for example when you cough, laugh, or feel a sudden urge. Prolapse is about organs dropping and pressing on the vaginal walls, causing pressure or a bulge. Because the pelvic floor supports both, the two commonly co-occur, and a clinician often checks for both at once. If leaking is your main concern, our separate bladder-leak check looks at that pattern; if pressure or a bulge is the main thing, this is the right tool. Many people find it useful to look at both.

For the vast majority of people, prolapse is not dangerous — it affects comfort and quality of life rather than being a threat to health, and it does not turn into anything sinister. It is also very treatable, and treatment is tailored to how much it bothers you. Options range from watchful waiting and pelvic-floor muscle training (often with a pelvic-floor physical therapist), to a pessary (a removable support device fitted in the vagina), to surgery to repair the support. A urogynecologist or gynecologist can walk you through what fits your situation. The rare exception that needs urgent care is a bulge that can't be pushed back in and becomes painful or discolored, or being unable to urinate.

Prolapse comes from stretching or weakening of the pelvic-floor support over time. The best-known contributors are pregnancy and vaginal birth (especially more than one), and the drop in estrogen around and after menopause, which is why prolapse becomes more common with age. Anything that repeatedly raises pressure in the abdomen can add to it too — regular heavy lifting, a chronic cough, and long-standing constipation with straining. A family tendency toward weaker connective tissue can play a part. None of these mean prolapse is your fault or is inevitable, and identifying what's contributing is part of how a clinician helps you manage it.

Yes. This checker runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are read on your own device and are never sent to a server, saved, or shared — close the tab and they're gone. It's general educational information based on ACOG, the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS/Voices for PFD), and MedlinePlus patient guidance; it can't diagnose you, isn't an exam, and doesn't replace an evaluation by a licensed clinician.