Signs of genital prolapse in a Swedish population of women 20 to 59 years of age and possible related factors.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to study the prevalence of genital prolapse and possible related factors in a general population of women 20 to 59 years of age.

STUDY DESIGN: Of 641 eligible women in a primary health care district, 487 (76%) answered a questionnaire and accepted an invitation to a gynecologic health examination.

RESULTS: The prevalence of any degree of prolapse was 30.8%. Only 2% of all women had a prolapse that reached the introitus. In a set of multivariate analyses, age (P <.0001), parity (P <.0001), and pelvic floor muscle strength (P <.01)-and among parous women, the maximum birth weight (P <.01)-were significantly and independently associated with presence of prolapse, whereas the woman's weight and sustained hysterectomy were not.

CONCLUSIONS: Signs of genital prolapse are frequently found in the female general population but are seldom symptomatic. Of factors associated with genital prolapse found in this study, pelvic floor muscle strength appears to be the only one that could be affected.