I’ve spoken publicly about my vaginal and bladder prolapse because I want women to know they can talk about what is happening to their bodies. These are health issues. There should be no shame in naming them or asking for help.

Because it is the name of a body part. If we cannot say the word without people getting uncomfortable, how are women supposed to talk about pain, prolapse or treatment? The embarrassment needs to go. The conversation needs to stay.

We want women’s pelvic health talked about openly, women’s concerns taken seriously and research supported.

Prolapse and pelvic health are central to this campaign, but the conversation is bigger than that. Women deserve clear information and appropriate care across their lives. This resource page starts with the issues raised on our campaign page.

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis. Muscles and other tissues help hold your bladder, bowel and uterus in place. The uterus is also called the womb.

If these supports weaken or are damaged, an organ can move down and push into the vagina. This is called pelvic organ prolapse, or POP.

• A bladder prolapse pushes into the front wall of the vagina.

• A bowel prolapse can push into the back wall of the vagina

• A uterine prolapse happens when the womb moves down towards the opening of the vagina.

You can have more than one type. Your doctor can tell you which type you have.

You might feel heaviness, pressure or a bulge in your vagina. You might leak wee or poo, or find it hard to empty your bladder or bowel. Sex may feel uncomfortable.

Some people have very few symptoms. A doctor can check what is causing yours.

No. These things can increase the chance of prolapse, but there are other causes too. Straining to poo, coughing for a long time and repeated heavy lifting can put pressure on your pelvic floor. Some health conditions can also affect the tissues that support it.

Prolapse is common. Hudson Institute of Medical Research reported in 2024 that about 1 in 4 women around the world in their 40s live with it. That number is about that age group, not all women.

The doctor will ask about your symptoms. They may suggest an examination of your vagina and pelvis. They may also suggest tests.

Ask what will happen and why. An examination needs your consent. That means you agree to it.

Not everyone needs an operation. Other options may include help from a pelvic health physiotherapist or a support device called a pessary.

Your doctor can explain what might help you. The choice depends on your symptoms and what matters to you.

A pessary is a device that sits inside the vagina. It helps support the organs that have moved down.

A trained health pofessional fits it. Ask how to care for it and when it needs checking.

They are a physiotherapist with extra training in pelvic health.

They can check how your pelvic floor muscles work. They can help you with exercises, movement and ways to manage symptoms.

The muscles need to relax as well as squeeze. Getting the technique right matters.

If you have pain or prolapse symptoms, or are unsure how to do the exercises, ask a pelvic health physiotherapist for help.

Ask your doctor or physiotherapist what is right for you. You may need to change an activity if it causes pressure, a bulge or leaking.

Tell your doctor if sex hurts. Having prolapse does not mean you must stop every activity.

You can ask:

• What could this treatment help with?
• What other choices do I have?
• What are the risks?
• How long will recovery take?
• Will I need more care afterwards?

If an operation is suggested, ask what it involves. You can take time to discuss your choices.

It means leaking urine, or wee, when you do not mean to. You might leak when you cough, laugh or exercise. You might also leak when you suddenly need to wee.

There are different causes and treatments.

Yes. Tell your GP, pelvic health physiotherapist or a nurse trained in bladder and bowel care.

You do not have to wait until the leaking is severe.

It means having trouble controlling when poo comes out. Doctors may also call it faecal incontinence.

You can talk to a health professional about it. You do not need to feel embarrassed about asking for help.

No. Prolapse means an organ has moved down from its usual place. Incontinence means leaking wee or poo.

You can have both. You can also have one without the other.

Make an appointment with your doctor. Prolapse is only one possible cause.

If you suddenly cannot wee at all, get urgent medical help. Also get urgent help for severe pain or bleeding that will not stop.

Yes. Call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. It is free and confidential.

A nurse can talk with you about bladder and bowel problems and help you find a service.

Call Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm Melbourne time. The service is closed on national public holidays.

A physical birth injury is damage to your body while giving birth. It can affect muscles, skin, nerves or other tissues around your vagina and pelvis.

A difficult birth can also affect how you feel emotionally. You can have a physical injury, emotional distress, or both.

Giving birth can stretch or damage the muscles and tissues that support your pelvic organs.

This can lead to pain, leaking wee or poo, or prolapse. A health professional can check what is happening.

Tell them if you have:

• pain that continues or gets worse
• heaviness or a bulge in your vagina
• leaking wee or poo
• trouble emptying your bladder or bowel
• pain during sex.

You do not have to accept these problems as something that just happens after a baby.

Yes. It is still worth asking for help.

Tell your doctor when the problem started and how it affects you now. You do not need to know what is wrong before making an appointment.

Talk to your GP or another health professional you trust.

Birth Trauma Australia also has information and peer support. Peer support means talking with people who have been through similar experiences. It can be used alongside professional care.

A GP is a good place to start. They can check your symptoms and help you find the right care.

You may also see a physiotherapist, a nurse trained in bladder and bowel care, or a specialist doctor. Ask about costs and whether you need a referral. A referral is a letter asking another health professional to see you.

This is a specialist doctor who treats pelvic floor problems, including prolapse and bladder problems.

Your GP can help you work out if you need to see one.

Write down what you are feeling, when it started and how it affects your life. Bring a list of medicines you take and any useful medical records.

Use your own words. You do not need medical words.

Ask the doctor to explain what they think is happening and what comes next.

You can ask for another appointment, a referral or advice from a different doctor. You can bring notes or ask someone you trust to come with you.

Yes, you can ask when you book. The clinic can tell you what is available.

Before any examination, ask what it involves. Tell the health professional what would help you feel comfortable.

Call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66. They can help you look for services.

Ask the service if you can have an appointment by phone or video. Some checks need to happen in person.

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis. Muscles and other tissues help hold your bladder, bowel and uterus in place. The uterus is also called the womb.

If these supports weaken or are damaged, an organ can move down and push into the vagina. This is called pelvic organ prolapse, or POP.

• A bladder prolapse pushes into the front wall of the vagina.

• A bowel prolapse can push into the back wall of the vagina

• A uterine prolapse happens when the womb moves down towards the opening of the vagina.

You can have more than one type. Your doctor can tell you which type you have.

We want women’s pelvic health talked about openly, women’s concerns taken seriously and research supported.

Prolapse and pelvic health are central to this campaign, but the conversation is bigger than that. Women deserve clear information and appropriate care across their lives. This resource page starts with the issues raised on our campaign page.

Your purchase starts a conversation. It puts women’s health where people can see it, and a contribution from eligible products supports Hudson Institute of Medical Research’s work in women’s pelvic health.

$5 from every full-priced individual mug or tote in this collection is committed to Hudson Institute of Medical Research for women’s pelvic-health research. A four mug set and the Lets get loud set contributes $15.

Hudson Institute of Medical Research is on the frontline of women’s health research, bringing together clinicians, engineers, scientists and women with lived experience to find better ways to recognise, treat and prevent injuries often associated with birth before they become long term problems. Currently, the institute is developing:

• Better ways to detect problems early: Testing ultrasound, sensors and other tools to identify women at risk and help them get the right care sooner.

• Better healing after birth: Testing treatments that use cells or substances produced by cells to help the body repair damaged tissue after a serious birth injury. The aim is to help women heal before problems become lifelong or require surgery.

• Safer options for prolapse surgery: Developing alternatives to permanent synthetic mesh, using materials that can safely break down in the body or materials made from biological tissue. These would be tailored to each woman, with careful testing to see how the body responds, how well the materials work with existing tissue and whether they hold up over time.