A woman who underwent “life-changing” surgery in Abu Dhabi for a severe pelvic organ prolapse has urged others to seek help if they face a similar condition.
Kaitlyn Kinnaird, 35, was plagued for years with the kind of pain and discomfort that few women, particularly of her age, wish to talk about, but which afflicts many.
Pelvic organ collapse is a condition where weak muscles in the pelvis can cause organs such as the vagina, uterus, bladder and rectum to sag. In extreme cases, an organ can bulge into another organ or even protrude from the body, such as was the case with Ms Kinnaird.
“There were times when I looked down on the toilet and could see my uterus coming out,” she told The National. “Sometimes it felt like I was sitting on an orange. I couldn’t run. I couldn’t lift weights. And having a bowel movement was incredibly difficult.”
She recently underwent surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, only months after moving to the country, to restore her quality of life.
It was one of the most severe cases her surgeon, Dr Seema Sheth, had seen in more than a decade of practice. The operation required the removal of the Ms Kinnaird's uterus.
“She had a total inversion of the vagina,” Dr Sheth, a urologist and pelvic floor surgeon, told The National. “Her ligaments had become so stretched out that her uterus was no longer where it should be.”
Common causes include childbirth, having a hysterectomy, doing jobs that require heavy lifting and the ageing process, with muscles losing strength as people get older.
Ms Kinnaird traces the problem back to the challenging birth of her son six years ago. “I was convinced I wanted a natural birth,” she said. “But I was being stubborn. I had this vision of a midwife and my husband by my side, a serene birth. Instead, it was 20 people in the hospital room telling me I needed a C-section and me refusing.”
After that, a severe prolapse affecting all three pelvic compartments – bladder, uterus and rectum – was diagnosed. In Canada, she was referred to a pessary clinic, a non-surgical option where a silicone device is inserted to hold organs in place.
“It helped a bit, but it was like a plaster,” she said. “They told me I was too young for surgery and should wait until I was 60 or 70. But I couldn’t live like that.”
Despite her symptoms, Ms Kinnaird kept going and tried to live life to the full. She ran a marathon, did CrossFit, worked as an accountant and gave birth to her second child, a daughter, three years later.
Losing hope
“I talked to friends, to older women, to my aunties,” she said. “No one my age had gone through this. Some could relate, but no one had it this severe. I started to think this was just my life now. I hadn’t even thought surgery was an option any more.”
Ms Kinnaird and her family moved to Abu Dhabi in October 2024. By then, her pessary was worn out and her symptoms had worsened.
She went to a general practitioner, who referred her to Dr Sheth. Ms Kinnaird arrived thinking she would be fitted for another pessary.
“Instead, Dr Seema told me this was not a pessary problem. It needed surgical correction,” she said. “I started crying in her office. It was so validating to finally have someone hear me, believe me, and say, ‘This is not normal. You deserve better.’ I hadn’t even thought surgery was an option any more.”
Dr Sheth said surgery was essential to give Ms Kinnaird greater quality of life and ensure she did not have to live in pain for decades more.
“This is a young, healthy, active woman who was told she had to live like this for 30 years,” said Dr Sheth. “It wasn’t acceptable.”
Pioneering procedure
Ms Kinnaird underwent a combined robotic procedure – a sacrocolpopexy and a proctopexy – to lift and secure the vaginal and rectal organs with surgical mesh. It was the first time the team had performed the two operations together at the hospital.
“We removed the uterus, left the cervix, and attached mesh to anchor everything to a ligament on the spine,” said Dr Sheth. “Her rectum was also secured to prevent future prolapse. The surgery was done robotically, which means smaller incisions, faster recovery, and better long-term outcomes.”
Recovery and results were immediate. “It seems crazy to say this, but it wasn’t painful,” Ms Kinnaird said.
“The worst part was the gas from the laparoscopy and the catheter. I was walking the next day, reading stories with my kids, doing dishes. I had just had my uterus removed – and I felt relief almost immediately.”
Helping others
Ms Kinnaird hopes that by sharing her story, other women will feel empowered to speak up and seek help. “It’s obviously uncomfortable to talk about, because it’s our reproductive organs. But we shouldn’t be shy,” she said. “This is common. And if it’s affecting your daily life, you shouldn’t just have to live with it.”
Dr Sheth echoed her sentiments. “So many women are embarrassed or think this is just a normal part of ageing,” she said. “But you don’t have to accept it. It can be fixed. And more women are coming forward because someone else they know got help.”
Looking back, Ms Kinnaird said it was not a difficult decision to have surgery and let go of the hope of further pregnancies “My husband and I knew we were done having kids,” she said. “So it was easy to say, ‘OK, I’m done with this organ, I can let it go.’ But if someone’s not ready for that, I understand. For them, the pessary might be the right choice.”
But for her, there was no hesitation. “For me, this surgery was absolutely life changing,” she said. “Every day for the past eight weeks, I’ve felt so grateful. Dr Seema and Dr Lameese [Tabaja] gave me my life back.”
