This study aimed to estimate the global trend of age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR) and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years (AS-DALYs) of pelvic organ prolapse from 1990 to 2021, and analyse the separate effects of age, period and birth cohort.
Data of pelvic organ prolapse's ASIR and AS-DALYs were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. The regions were classified by the socio-demographic index (SDI). An age-period-cohort (APC) model was employed to analyse the effect of every age, period and birth cohort on pelvic organ prolapse's ASIR.
In 2021, the global ASIR and AS-DALY were 317.51 (95% UI, 267.67-378.25) and 8.68 (95% UI, 4.26-16.38) per 100,000 population, respectively. The rates decreased globally and in five SDI regions from 1990 to 2021. APC analysis demonstrated that ASIR significantly increased with advancing age, exhibiting a bi-peak curve, with one peak appearing around 50 years and the other around 70 years.
Over the past 32 years, the global ASIR and AS-DALY of pelvic organ prolapse have continued to decrease significantly, while in low SDI regions, the rates remain high. These findings highlight the need for targeted pelvic organ prolapse prevention programs and proper investment in pelvic floor care in low SDI regions.
Pelvic organ prolapse is a considerable global health issue that requires improvement, leaving a significant burden on women’s health and the economy. This study estimated the global trend of age-standardised incidence rates and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years of pelvic organ prolapse from 1990 to 2021 based on GBD 2021 data. It analysed the separate age, period and birth cohort effects. Over the past 32 years, the number of incident cases has increased. The results indicate that the age-standardised incidence rates and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years of pelvic organ prolapse have continued to decrease significantly. Moreover, in regions with low socio-demographic index, the age-standardised incidence rates and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years remain high. According to age-period-cohort analysis, the age-standardised incidence rates and age-standardised disability-adjusted life years significantly increased with advancing age, exhibiting a bi-peak curve, with one peak occurring around 50 years and the other around 70 years. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop more cost-effective and targeted strategies to reduce the incidence of pelvic organ prolapse.
Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2026 Feb 06 [Epub]
Shiguang Li, Baofang Zhang, Ping Li, Dongdong Hua, Tiantian Fu, Guohui Yan, Zhaoxia Liang, Danqing Chen
Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China., The Second Children and Women's Healthcare of Jinan City, Jinan, China., Department of Radiology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.