About Half of Women Over 50 Have Symptoms of a Disease; 80% of Women Unaware of "Pelvic Organ Prolapse," Over 40% Find It Difficult to Discuss with Family

Mitsui Medical Japan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Keiko Mitsui), a seller of "Femcushion," a therapeutic device for pelvic organ prolapse such as uterine prolapse and bladder prolapse, conducted a "Pelvic Organ Prolapse Awareness and Actual Condition Survey" targeting 300 women aged 30 to over 70. The survey was conducted from March 24 to 25, 2026, utilizing Qiqumo from the Cross Marketing Group for the internet survey.

As a result, 79.7% of respondents did not know the term "Pelvic Organ Prolapse" (kotsuban zoki datsu), and an additional 41.3% answered that they found it "difficult to discuss with family." Furthermore, when experiencing symptoms such as urinary leakage or discomfort in the lower abdomen/genitals, 35.3% answered that they would "search on the internet first," a result that surpassed the 27.0% who would "immediately consult a medical institution."

Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition where the muscles and tissues supporting organs in the pelvis, such as the uterus, bladder, and rectum, weaken, causing these organs to descend and sometimes protrude from the vagina. It tends to occur due to aging, childbirth, and weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, and is said to become more common particularly after menopause. While the proportion of people with symptoms varies by report, medical information suggests that around 40% of women over 50, or even half of women over 50, experience some symptoms, indicating it is not an uncommon concern for middle-aged and older women.

"Pelvic Organ Prolapse" is known by less than 20%, while "Uterine Prolapse" is known by over 30%

Nearly 80% of people do not know the term "Pelvic Organ Prolapse" (Femicushion survey)

First, when asked about awareness of the term "Pelvic Organ Prolapse" among the 300 individuals, 79.7% responded "don't know." Looking at age groups, 71.7% in their 30s, 85.0% in their 40s, 83.3% in their 50s, 76.7% in their 60s, and 81.7% in their 70s and older responded "don't know," showing that it is not sufficiently widespread across any generation.

Over 30% of women have heard the term "Uterine Prolapse" (Femicushion survey)

On the other hand, as a related term, 33.7% responded that they had heard of "Uterine Prolapse," suggesting that while the image of the symptoms and older expressions are known to some extent, "Pelvic Organ Prolapse" as a formal medical term has not become a common word. Rectal prolapse was known by 21.7%, bladder prolapse by 19.3%, small intestine prolapse by 12.0%, and urethral prolapse by 7.7%.

Not only the disease name but also "what the condition is like" is not well understood

Over 70% of people do not know what symptoms are associated with pelvic organ prolapse (Femicushion survey)

When asked, "Did you know that pelvic organ prolapse is a condition where organs in the pelvis descend and can come out of the vagina?", 72.3% responded "didn't know." This indicates that not only the disease name but also the understanding of the condition itself has not progressed.

Symptoms recognized for pelvic organ prolapse (Femicushion survey)

The symptoms recognized for pelvic organ prolapse included "discomfort in the lower abdomen or genitals," "a feeling of something descending or coming out," and "urinary leakage" as the top responses. While urinary leakage is a significant symptom, discomfort and the "feeling of descent" are also important signs, but they may not be sufficiently linked to the disease.

Pelvic organ prolapse is a concern that is difficult to discuss with family and hard for those around to notice

Over 40% responded that they cannot discuss symptoms like pelvic organ prolapse with others (Femicushion survey)

Similarly, when asked the 300 respondents if they thought they could discuss potential pelvic organ prolapse symptoms such as urinary leakage or discomfort in the lower abdomen/genitals with their family, "not very likely to be able to discuss" was 29.3% and "not at all likely to be able to discuss" was 12.0%, for a total of 41.3% who answered "difficult to discuss." Furthermore, only 16.0% had heard about pelvic organ prolapse or similar concerns from family, relatives, or acquaintances. This suggests a reality where symptoms are less likely to surface because the individuals find it difficult to talk about and those around them have fewer opportunities to hear about it.

Only 16% responded having heard about pelvic organ prolapse from acquaintances (Femicushion survey)

Pelvic organ prolapse is a hidden concern for both the individual and those around them. The results of this survey also indicate that society lacks sufficient opportunities for daughters and family members to realize, "Perhaps my mother was also enduring this."

Even with symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, "Internet search" first, rather than medical consultation