In spite of the devastation caused by uterine prolapse, the condition remains largely hidden and under-researched.

Medical: Uterine prolapse is a condition in which a woman’s uterus can no longer be supported by the pelvic muscles that normally hold it in place. As a result, the uterus falls out of position and descends through the vaginal canal.

Social: Uterine prolapse in Nepal is not just a medical condition, but the by-product of a social environment that makes women vulnerable to reproductive ill-health and leaves them with few tools or strategies to address their condition.

Prevalence: UP is a serious problem affecting an alarming number of women. The UNFPA estimates that at least 600,000 women are suffering, and that 200,000 need emergency surgery for advanced cases.

Victims: NGOs in Nepal have found that UP affects all ages – from 14-year old girls to 80-year old women. Young mothers in rural Nepal (where 85% of the population) are particularly at risk because they have limited access to health care and work long hours.

Risk factors:

• Poor Birthing Practices
• Heavy Workload
• Birth Spacing/High Parity
• Poor Nutrition
• Lack of Knowledge/Awareness
• Secrecy/Stigma
• Violence Against Women
• Cultural Taboos
• Accessibility of Health Services
• Early Marriage

Treatment: Severe cases of UP will require surgery. When the condition is less advanced, it can be checked by the insertion of a ring pessary – a painless procedure that can be done at health centers.

Prevention: It will require a major political, medical, economic and social effort to prevent UP. Perhaps most important, women must be informed of their rights and also of the options for treatment. Strengthening the health infrastructure, empowering women to rest during and after pregnancy, lifting social taboos, and informing women of their rights will allow UP to be identified, discussed, prevented, and treated.

The Nepali Response: Civil society has taken the lead in exposing UP, with support from the UN. These efforts have been led by the Women's Development and Unity Centre (RUWDUC), the Centre for Eco-Agriculture Development (CAED), and COSAN (among other organizations). These and other organizations decided to form the Uterine Prolapse Alliance in August 2006. The UPA is a coalition of committed organizations, individuals and experts dedicated to preventing and treating UP.