To Pessary or Not to Pessary? What Every Woman Needs to Know
If you have prolapse and you keep hearing the word “pessary” but nobody has really explained what it means, this episode is for you.
I get asked this question almost daily: to pessary or not to pessary? Should I wear one, which one, how do I know if it’s right, can I exercise with one, and will it affect my progress?
In this episode I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’m going to give you the facts and the context so you can make an informed decision. Because too often women are offered a support pessary with very little information about what it is, what it is not, how it should feel, and how it fits alongside movement and long-term recovery.
We cover what a support pessary is, the most common types women are offered (ring, Gellhorn, cube), what a good fit should feel like, the signs it is not fitting well, and how to think about exercise, confidence, and load management with a pessary in place.
Most importantly, we talk about the emotional side too. Wearing a pessary is not failure. Choosing not to is not missing an opportunity. They are simply choices, and your choice can change as your body, confidence, and life change.
You are not broken, you are not behind, and you are certainly not alone.
What You’ll Learn:
- What a support pessary is and why it is offered for prolapse
- What a pessary can do (support symptoms) and what it cannot do (fix prolapse)
- The emotional side of wearing one and why your response is valid
- Common myths that keep women stuck
- The most common types: ring pessary, Gellhorn pessary, cube pessary
- How to tell if a pessary is not fitting well
- Whether you can exercise with a pessary, and what matters most
- Questions to help you decide what is right for you
- How to stay an active participant in your recovery, whichever choice you make
Whole Body Pelvic Health Membership
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/membership
Pelvic Health Café (free monthly forum)
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/pelvic-health-cafe
Book: HOPE for Your Pelvic Floor
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/book
Podcast hub / all episodes
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/podcast
If you have prolapse and you keep hearing the word “pessary” but nobody has really explained what it means, this episode is for you.
I get asked this question almost daily: to pessary or not to pessary? Should I wear one, which one, how do I know if it’s right, can I exercise with one, and will it affect my progress?
In this episode I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’m going to give you the facts and the context so you can make an informed decision. Because too often women are offered a support pessary with very little information about what it is, what it is not, how it should feel, and how it fits alongside movement and long-term recovery.
We cover what a support pessary is, the most common types women are offered (ring, Gellhorn, cube), what a good fit should feel like, the signs it is not fitting well, and how to think about exercise, confidence, and load management with a pessary in place.
Most importantly, we talk about the emotional side too. Wearing a pessary is not failure. Choosing not to is not missing an opportunity. They are simply choices, and your choice can change as your body, confidence, and life change.
You are not broken, you are not behind, and you are certainly not alone.
What You’ll Learn:
- What a support pessary is and why it is offered for prolapse
- What a pessary can do (support symptoms) and what it cannot do (fix prolapse)
- The emotional side of wearing one and why your response is valid
- Common myths that keep women stuck
- The most common types: ring pessary, Gellhorn pessary, cube pessary
- How to tell if a pessary is not fitting well
- Whether you can exercise with a pessary, and what matters most
- Questions to help you decide what is right for you
- How to stay an active participant in your recovery, whichever choice you make
Whole Body Pelvic Health Membership
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/membership
Pelvic Health Café (free monthly forum)
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/pelvic-health-cafe
Book: HOPE for Your Pelvic Floor
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/book
Podcast hub / all episodes
https://www.wholebodypelvichealth.co.uk/podcast