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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that increase your risk of developing an enterocele include:
- Pregnancy and childbirth. Vaginal delivery of one or more children contributes to the weakening of your pelvic floor support structures, increasing your risk of enterocele.
- Age. Enterocele and other types of pelvic organ prolapse occur more often with increasing age. As you get older, you tend to lose muscle mass and muscle strength — in your pelvic muscles as well as in muscles elsewhere in your body.
- Pelvic surgery. Removal of your uterus (hysterectomy) or surgical procedures to treat incontinence may increase your risk of developing an enterocele.
- Increased abdominal pressure. Being overweight increases pressure inside your abdomen, which increases your risk of developing an enterocele. Other factors that increase pressure include chronic cough, smoking (which increases coughing) and straining during bowel movements.
- Genetics. You may be born with weaker connective tissues in your pelvic area, making you naturally more susceptible to enterocele and other types of pelvic organ prolapse.
- Race. For unknown reasons, Hispanic and Asian women appear to be at greater risk of developing pelvic organ prolapse than are Caucasian women. Black women seem to have the lowest risk of any of these groups of women.
- Family history. If your mother experienced an enterocele or prolapse of other pelvic organs, your chances of also experiencing prolapse are greater than a woman with no family history of prolapse.
References
- Lentz GM. Anatomic defects of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor: Abdominal and inguinal hernias, cystocele, urethrocele, enterocele, rectocele, uterine and vaginal prolapse, and rectal incontinence: Diagnosis and management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/199482088-2/0/1524/131.html?tocnode=53759383&fromURL=131.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-02951-3..50023-6_663. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins - Gynecology. Pelvic organ prolapse. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2007;110:717.
- Park AJ, et al. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and nonsurgical management of posterior vaginal defects. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 3, 2010.
- Hughes D, et al. Pelvic organ prolapse. In: Schorge JO, et al. Williams Gynecology. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=3159899. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- Tarnay CM. Pelvic organ prolapse. In: DeCherney AH, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment Obstetrics & Gynecology. 10th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2007. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2390520. Accessed May 4, 2010.
- DeLancey JOL. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and evaluation of pelvic organ support. In: Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:818.
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