Attention Women: Educate Yourself to Avoid Vaginal Mesh Problems
As women, there are all sorts of health problems we encounter that few people discuss openly. Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence are two such conditions. Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) occurs when the pelvic muscles have become weakened or stretched, causing the pelvic organs to sag into the vaginal cavity. Stress Urinary Incontinence refers to a condition when women become incontinent while exercising, laughing, sneezing or coughing. This condition is common during and after pregnancy and childbirth, and as many as 50% of women experience it to some degree. A small fraction of women who suffer from these conditions require surgical repair, either with the use of surgical mesh or simply with internal stitches. Surgical mesh has been used transvaginally since the 1970s, but has recently been found to be risky. A 2011 Safety Communication from the FDA cites resulting vaginal mesh problems caused by erosion of the material, which can then travel to other tissues, become imbedded, and lead to infection, bleeding, pain, tissue and organ