Is my womb falling out? Prolapse explained

Author: Aunt Vadge
Qualified Naturopath | BHSc(N)

Last reviewed: July 7, 2026

Aunt Vadge,

I’m 48, and I’m worried because I’ve noticed something hanging out of the entrance to my vagina at the top. It moves back if I push it in, but comes straight back out again. It’s pretty ugly! Is my womb falling out?

Yours,
Falling

Hi Falling,

What you’re describing – a soft bulge at the vaginal opening that slips back when you push it and then eases down again – sounds very much like a pelvic organ prolapse. Before you panic, please know this is extremely common, especially around your age, and it is very treatable. It is not an emergency and your insides are not about to fall out, so take a breath.

What’s happening is that the supports holding your pelvic organs have loosened a little, so something is dropping into the vaginal space – it might be the uterus, or the bladder or bowel bulging against the vaginal wall. You can’t tell which from the outside, and that’s the one part that really does need an in-person look: see your doctor or a women’s-health physiotherapist so they can examine you, tell you exactly what it is, and grade how much has shifted. That’s not something we can do from a letter.

Happily, a lot can be done, and it usually works well. First-line treatment is pelvic floor physiotherapy – a proper, guided pelvic floor programme really does lift and support mild to moderate prolapse, and a physio will tailor it to you. A pessary (a little support device) is another simple, effective option your doctor can fit.

There’s a hormonal piece too, which is where we come in. At 48 you’re likely heading through perimenopause, and the vaginal and pelvic tissues are very responsive to oestrogen – as it drops, they thin and weaken, which makes prolapse more likely and more noticeable. Local oestriol (E3) cream can help firm and support that tissue, and it’s worth discussing alongside the physio. Combining tissue support with pelvic floor work is where we tend to see the best results clinically.

In the meantime, go easy on anything that strains those supports downward – heavy lifting, and straining on the toilet, so keep things soft and regular with plenty of fibre and water. Get seen more urgently if you can’t pass urine or empty your bowels, or the area becomes very painful, but those are uncommon.

Book that examination, and if you’d like help with the hormonal and tissue side, you can book in with us too. You’ve caught this early by noticing it – that’s exactly the right time to act.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.