Patient Information on Pessary Change

A pessary is a plastic ring or cube that is worn inside your vagina to treat fecal or urinary incontinence or a prolapsed uterus. If you wear a pessary, you will need to change the device from time to time.

Causes

• Pessaries need to be changed if you gain or lose weight, as you age, if the shape of your vagina and reproductive organs change, or if your old pessary becomes worn.

Symptoms

• If you develop pressure sores or painful areas inside your vagina, you may need a new pessary. You may also need to change your pessary if your incontinence symptoms return.

Considerations

• Because there is no exact way to determine the correct size or shape of pessary for each woman, you may need to try several different pessaries before finding one that fits properly.

Types of Materials

• When changing your pessary, your doctor may suggest that you use a different material such as latex instead of silicone.

Prevention

• In order to care for your pessary and lower the chance of changing it, wash your pessary every few days with soap and water. You should also visit your doctor every few months to have your pessary checked.