How many women have rectocele

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Recent Blog Articles. Health news headlines can be deceiving. Why is topical vitamin C important for skin health? Preventing preeclampsia may be as simple as taking an aspirin. Caring for an aging parent? Tips for enjoying holiday meals. A conversation about reducing the harms of social media. Menopause and memory: Know the facts. A rectocele is one type of pelvic organ prolapse.

In a woman, the rectum bulges into the back wall of the vagina. A pelvic prolapse can vary in severity. Some people may experience different types of prolapse at the same time, such as both an anterior and posterior vaginal wall prolapse.

According to the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons , health professionals carrying out routine physical examinations find a rectocele is present in around 40 percent of women, although they may not notice it. In mild cases of rectocele, the individual may notice pressure within the vagina, or they may feel that their bowels are not completely empty after using the bathroom.

In moderate cases, an attempt to evacuate can push the stool into the rectocele rather than out through the anus. There may be pain and discomfort during evacuation.

There is a higher chance of having constipation, and there may be pain during sexual intercourse. In severe cases, there may be fecal incontinence , and sometimes the bulge may prolapse through the mouth opening of the vagina, or through the anus. A rectocele usually happens with pregnancy and childbirth, but the risk also increases with age, and other factors can play a role. The underlying cause is a weakening of the pelvic support structures and of the rectovaginal septum, the layer of tissue that separates the vagina from the rectum.

It is more likely to occur as a result of childbirth if the baby was large weighing over 9 pounds if labor was prolonged, or if there was a multiple birth, for example, twins. By the age of 50 years around half of all women have some symptoms of a pelvic organ prolapse, and by the age of 80 years, over 1 in every 10 will have had surgery for prolapse.

If the rectocele is small, the person may not notice it. If it is large, they may notice tissue protruding through the vaginal opening. There may be some discomfort, pressure, and, in some cases, pain. There may be an indirect link with hemorrhoids. If a person with other risk factors also has chronic constipation, for example, a forced bowel movement may increase intra-abdominal pressure during straining. This could trigger a rectocele.

If a person undergoes several gynecological or rectal surgeries, this can also weaken the pelvic floor and lead to a rectocele. In men, a rectocele can develop as the result of a prostatectomy, which is the removal of the prostate gland, as a treatment for prostate cancer. A doctor will normally make a diagnosis after examining the vagina and rectum.

This wall can become weak or stretched by pressure such as childbirth, straining while going to the toilet, or ageing. A weak or thinned rectovaginal septum allows the front wall of the rectum to bulge into the vagina. Causes of rectocele Some of the events that may weaken or thin the rectovaginal septum and cause a rectocele include: Vaginal normal childbirth Giving birth to multiple babies A long and difficult labour Assisted delivery during childbirth, including the use of forceps Tearing during childbirth, particularly if the tear extended from the vagina to the anus Episiotomy a surgical cut made to enlarge the vaginal opening during childbirth to avoid injury to mother and baby , particularly if the cut extends to the anus Hysterectomy Pelvic surgery Chronic constipation Straining to pass bowel motions Advancing age, as older women are more prone to rectocele.

Rectocele and related problems A rectocele sometimes occurs by itself. In other cases, the woman may also have other problems including: Cystocele — the bladder protrudes into the vagina Enterocele — the small intestines push down into the vagina Uterine prolapse — the cervix and uterus drop down into the vagina and may protrude out of the vaginal opening Vaginal prolapse — in cases of severe uterine prolapse, the vagina may slide out of the body too Rectal prolapse — the rectum protrudes through the anus.

Diagnosis of rectocele A doctor can diagnose rectocele by using a number of tests including: Pelvic examination Special x-ray proctogram or defaecagram. Depending on individual factors, such as the severity of the rectocele and the presence of other prolapsed structures, the operation can be performed in different ways, including: Through the vagina Through the anus Through the area between the vagina and anus perineum Through the abdomen In some cases, a combination of surgical techniques may be necessary.

The aim of surgery is to repair and strengthen the wall between the vagina and rectum. Procedures for vaginal repair include: One or more incisions are made along the back wall of the vagina to expose the underlying structures. Weakened pelvic floor muscles around the vagina and rectum are strengthened with absorbable stitches. The wall is repaired using absorbable stitches.

Sometimes, the perineum area between the vagina and anus needs to be repaired at the same time, with deep stitches into the muscle. If the vagina has been stretched from childbirth, for example , the excess tissue may be removed. The vaginal incisions are stitched closed. The vagina is packed with gauze. A urinary catheter is inserted to allow urine to drain from the bladder.

Immediately after surgery for a rectocele After your operation for a rectocele, things you can expect include: Hospital staff will observe and note your temperature, pulse, breathing and blood pressure. You will have an intravenous fluid line in your arm to replace fluids in your body. You will receive pain-relieving medications. Tell your nurse if you need more pain relief.

You may have a catheter to drain off urine for the next day or so, or until you can empty your bladder by yourself. If you have a vaginal pack, this will be taken out later the same day or the day after surgery.