Prolapse/Pelvic Floor & Pregnancy

[Liande]

Hi there,

I am wondering if anyone has any experience they could share with the below please.

I have two children, aged 2 & 3, and developed an epigastric hernia after the first pregnancy and a rectocele prolapse after the second birth. Both babies were vaginal deliveries weighing 7lb & 8lb, and one was assisted with the ventouse. I can get pain from the hernia however luckily the prolapse seems to have sorted itself after 18 months. I saw specialist doctors for both issues after the birth of my second child and they both agreed only to perform repair surgery if required after I was finished having children. In my current state I would say that I would need to get the hernia repaired at some point but the prolapse seems to have gotten better with time (definitely not back to its pre birth state but not needing drastic surgery). I did have 6 months of physio for the prolapse and despite my best efforts didn’t really make much progress as it was very soon after the birth – the Pyhsio said my pelvic floor muscles were very weak.

So, would it be unwise for me to have another baby with the hernia, prolapse and weak pelvic floor? Would they likely get worse? Luckily I don’t have any bladder issues but I am petrified of having a weak bladder / having incontinence issues after another pregnancy which I know can be common.

I know all pregnancies and births are different and it’d likely be a “can’t really tell” situation but I was just really keen to hear from other people’s experiences.

Thanks in advance.

I don't know much about the hernia but I saw my uro-gynaecologist last week because I sustained a minor cystocele after the birth of my first DC 18 months ago and am now 35 weeks pregnant with DC2.

Unfortunately the second pregnancy has caused me to also have a rectocele, and I haven't even given birth yet. Lucky old me. I also tried physio after the birth of DC1 as referred by my GP, but my consultant said that my muscles were so weak that no amount of exercises would put my prolapses right.

So I would say that another pregnancy may make your rectocele worse, it's probably not going to make it better.

I'm going to have surgery as soon as I can after the birth of DC2 as my symptoms are really affecting my quality of life and I'm only in my 20s.