MULTIFACTORIAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE: THE ROLE OF POP-Q CLASSIFICATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is one of the most prevalent forms of pelvic floor dysfunction in women, particularly during the postmenopausal period. The relevance of this topic is underscored by the high prevalence of POP, its substantial impact on patients’ quality of life, and the ongoing need to improve diagnostic methods and assessment of disease severity. Despite the existence of various classification systems, the POP-Q system remains the most objective and reproducible tool for clinical evaluation of prolapse. This article presents the results of a prospective study conducted among 130 female patients exhibiting signs of POP. The aim of the study was to comprehensively investigate the risk factors associated with the development of pelvic organ prolapse, including reproductive, somatic, anatomical, and behavioral aspects. The severity of prolapse was assessed using the POP-Q classification, which enabled data standardization and identification of statistically significant correlations between the degree of prolapse and the aggregate of predisposing factors. Keywords: POP-Q; risk factors; quality of life; pelvic organ prolapse; BMI.