30/07/2026
If you are 2-3 weeks postpartum and feel like your v@gina is about to make its great escape - please pause. And keep reading before self diagnosing š
Now. This post is not about minimising prolapse. Not at all. Prolapse symptoms can be all consuming and life changing.
But. This post is about early ādiagnosisā of prolapse. We know from research and clinical observation that the grade of prolapse doesnāt correlate to the individualās symptoms. You can also have anatomical changes with no symptoms at all.
This is why the criteria for prolapse diagnosis changed. Grade 1 was classed as normal anatomical movement. And a diagnosis was to be based on having anatomical change AND symptoms.
However. Prolapse is one of those topics that still holds a lot of fear. So naturally I get a lot of patients contacting me at week 2-3 postpartum thinking they have prolapse. And likewise I have had patients who have been told they have prolapse in the early postpartum stage.
Personally I donāt like to diagnose or put a label on any anatomical change until we are at least post 12weeks. Why? Tissues change. Tissues heal. Swelling lessens. Symptoms lessen. And if we put a big prolapse label on things from the get go, it instills a whole load of fear and hyper fixation on symptoms and movement.
Even 12 weeks is still early recovery when you think about childbirth. We want to see: what anatomical change is sticking around? What symptoms are not improving? Do you have individual risk factors that make prolapse more likely?
There are some assessments where it may be too early to put a definitive diagnosis on things; but we suspect that maybe there is a higher risk for development or progression of prolapse. There are even specific measurements we can take that help to paint this picture.
So if you are feeling heavy, especially in early postpartum: please know you can reach out for help/advice and reassurance even before your 6 week check.
Then, give your v@gina a chance to collect herself. Cause quite frankly, sheās had a day š
