Association for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Support - APOPS

06/02/2026

Pelvic organ prolapse Awareness Month~Self-Screening

There are three trigger windows when women start googling POP:

*The symptom curiosity stage - what is this and am I the only one experiencing it?

*The validation stage - is this symptom normal and am I alone?

*The decision making stage - what do I do now?

Self-screening is a valuable FIRST STEP in the POP journey. However, the sooner pelvic organ prolapse is diagnosed by a practitioner, the faster treatments and symptom relief may be attainable. Don't hover too long self-screening for .

Typically the patient POP journey is symptom recognition, online searching, then practitioner exploration. Confirmation of types and degree of POP severity by a practitioner can fast track understanding the what/how/when/why of POP exploration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OakRAXssT2I







Please share and support APOPS efforts to advance women's health awareness!

Most women have never heard of pelvic organ prolapse prior to a phy...

06/01/2026

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Pelvic Organ Prolapse dance hand in hand as comorbid conditions. APOPS is happy to join hands with the Ehlers-Danlos Society Comorbidity Corner during their upcoming conference in Texas July 24-26. Double-jointed? Really stretchy skin? Leaking urine too? Might want to explore how and why these conditions impact your reality.

https://lnkd.in/gNqKC3Ny

06/01/2026

Women's voices belong in the rooms where healthcare decisions are made. APOPS is sharing this survey in the interest of securing FDA approval for a medical device that could reduce the risk of childbirth complications.
We are Patient Voice Advisors
https://lnkd.in/gm_KHP_H
and
and CaPPRe (Community and Patient Preference Research),
https://www.cappre.com.au/
specialists in patient preference research, conducting this study on behalf of a medical product developer. Our goal is to understand how women weigh the potential benefits and risks of interventions designed to protect women from potential injuries in childbirth — and to make sure that evidence gets to the FDA to inform their regulatory decision-making.

What this research is about

Clearly pelvic floor injury during vaginal delivery can have lasting consequences, including pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, bowel problems, and discomfort. Yet women's perspectives on prevention are rarely part of the regulatory conversation. This study is designed to change that.

What's involved

The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and covers birth experiences, awareness of pelvic floor complications, and how women personally weigh treatment tradeoffs. The survey uses techniques to maximize the scientific validity of patient preferences in compliance with FDA regulatory standards. There are no right or wrong answers.

If you've had experience with complications from birth, including pelvic organ prolapse, your experience is exactly what this research needs.

Complete the survey by June 6 and receive a $20 gift card as a thank-you.

Survey link:
https://lnkd.in/gMkFU3sS

Thank you for your time and consideration to advance women's health.

06/01/2026

How would you feel if you were peeing in your pants every day?

How would you feel if your intimate life that was once very fulfilling fell by the wayside because tissues bulging out vaginally was too embarrassing to risk engaging?

How would you feel if you hadn't pooped normally in a year?

June is Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awareness Month.

14 MILLION women experience pelvic organ prolapse annually. POP is a condition that was acknowledged in the Kahun Papyrus circa 1835 BCE. And yet in 2026, women are not routinely screened, diagnosed, and treated until symptoms are so bothersome and embarrassing, they can no longer suffer in silence and request screening.

POP Awareness Month was established by Joint Resolution in the state of Wisconsin in 2014 at APOPS request, an effort to increase awareness and address shortfalls. PAM month has been slowly growing every year since, but we still have a long way to go.

1 in 2 women experience POP. This extremely common women's health condition deserves attention, treatment, and support. Whether a woman is 25 or 60 experiencing POP, we must address the missing links in screening and care.

Let's all come together to address shortfalls. Patient Voice. Practitioner Voice. Academic Voice. Research Voice. Industry Voice. Policy Voice.

Please support the health of the women you love.

https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=7RTUSLB5UXLP8

05/29/2026

TGIF

05/29/2026

It’s not rocket science that when diagnosed early, health conditions have better potential to be addressed with less aggressive medical intervention.



Late-stage initial diagnosis is one of the most common, under-addressed issues in the space. When will we establish standardized POP screening protocol inclusion within routine pelvic exams? The concern is not simply delayed treatment. A health system that identifies, discusses, and manages prolapse only after symptoms become disruptive or advanced is not modern medicine.



Women who are initially diagnosed in grades 3-4 prolapse means organs have pushed outside of the vaginal canal and co-exist alongside more complex urinary and/or bowel symptoms.

I in 2 women experience POP. We must address the madness.

05/28/2026

Guiding a loved one through end-of-life while running any business, much less a patient advocacy nonprofit, is a deeply personal journey. One that blends caregiving, anticipatory grief, leadership, and the challenge of sustaining mission amid profound life transition.

One of the most heart-wrenching events that occurs in our lives is one-on-one end-of-life caregiving. This post is a bit sideways from my usual pelvic organ prolapse sharing. It is up close and personal. It's equally emotional and visceral. Its strength and weakness all rolled up into a guttural ball. June is Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awareness Month and patient advocacy does not take days off. But zero doubt I will be a bit slower, a bit more scattered, and a tad less focused on the women APOPS is committed to supporting over the coming days, weeks, or possibly longer, including during June, POP Awareness Month.

Experiencing the intersect of caregiving, loss, and leadership will likely be quite the education in strength. There are seasons when leadership and compassion collide - when guiding a loved one unfolds alongside the daily responsibility of sustaining a for-profit or nonprofit business.

I was blessed to be able to spend my dad's final couple of days with him, recognize when his exit was upon us, hold his hand and talk him through the transition to the other side. To those who have walked this walk, thank you for respecting your loved one. To those who see this journey coming just around the bend, I encourage you to try to set work aside a bit and be strong in the moments of value to bond tightly with and nurture your loved one's journey. You will cherish the memory forever.

05/26/2026

The most common issues with pessaries are related to improper fit or inappropriate type being inserted. Pessary curriculum is unfortunately poorly provided within most fields of practice inserting and servicing pessaries. Thankfully there are some amazing practitioners who really know their pessary "stuff".

While efforts to experiment with a pessary are valuable to help women get more familiar with their pelvic floor, they don't always work out smoothly, effectively, or long term. Pessary complications can include discomfort, discharge, odor (can be addressed with Trimosan use), tissue erosion (vaginal ulcers), infection, allergic response, or fistula (rare).

05/25/2026

Memorial Day we honor all military who died in service to our country. Veteran's Day honors all who have served in the military whether during time of war or peace. Clearly both sectors deserve our utmost respect.

Our independence comes with a price. Thank you does not come close to vocalizing the respect those in all service branches deserve, most especially those who paid the ultimate price.