Vaginal Birth and Pelvic Prolapse

Middle aged and older women face a barrage of health problems, including fallen bladder, fallen uterus, vagina or lower bowel. I'm in that age group, and I've already had my share of problems. No surgery yet, but I have a feeling it's in my future.
Researchers in Michigan believe that the cause is vaginal childbirth. An article in iVillage Pregnancy and Parenting tells us:
Muscle damage caused during vaginal childbirth is associated with a serious gynecological condition called pelvic organ prolapse later in life, U.S. researchers report.
Pelvic organ prolapse — a fallen bladder, uterus, vagina or lower bowel — causes more than 200,000 American women each year to undergo corrective surgery.
Research continues into ways of prevention and treating injuries caused during the birth of a child.