Surgical procedures for female genital prolapse

From 2015 to 2019, the number of procedures remained stable at just over 4,000 per year. Following a decline during the pandemic, the number increased annually and reached 3,700 in 2023. Over the next two years, there was a further increase of nearly 1,000 operations, ending at almost 4,700 procedures in 2025.

The number of procedures per 1,000 women was 2.0 in 2025. This represents an increase after the pandemic, but corresponds to the level seen in the years before the pandemic.

There was considerable geographical variation throughout the entire period from 2015 to 2025. In 2025, the Fonna hospital catchment area had the highest rate, with 3.33 operations per 1,000 inhabitants. Vestfold had the lowest value, with a rate of 1.16 in the same year. Measured by Regional Health Authority (RHA) catchment areas, Helse Nord had the highest rate during almost the entire period from 2015 to 2025 (except in 2019), while Helse Sør-Øst had the lowest rate throughout the same period.

The proportion of procedures performed as day surgery increased throughout the period, from under 30% in the early years to 41% in 2023 and 47% in 2025.

The highest proportion of day surgery was in Helse Midt-Norge, with 64% in 2025. This represents a substantial increase from 2015, when the proportion was 18% and the lowest among the RHA catchment areas. The Helse Nord catchment area also had a high proportion of day surgery, at 62%. For the two remaining catchment areas, the proportions were 43% for Helse Vest and 38% for Helse Sør-Øst.

The average age was just under 62 years in 2025. Among patients receiving day treatment, the average age was 59.5 years, compared with just under 64 years for admitted patients.

The analysis is based on activity data from the Norwegian Patient Register (NPR) for somatic specialist health services. The data includes activity in public hospitals and private hospitals that provide publicly funded services. Data from specialists under public funding contracts are not included, as this treatment is only provided in hospitals.

The sample consists of contact for women aged 16 years or older with a primary or secondary diagnosis of N81 in combination with one or more of the following procedure codes: LEF 00, LEF 03, LEF 10, LEF 13, LEF 16, LEF 20, LEF 23, LEF 34, LEF 40, LEF 41, LEF 50, LEF 51, LEF 53, LEF 96 eller LEF 97. See also Metodebok.no.

The place of treatment is divided into three categories:

• Local public, treated at one of the hospitals in the catchment area
• Other public, treated at a public hospital outside the catchment area
• Private, treated by a private hospital

In order to compare the catchment areas and between years, the rates have been adjusted for gender and age. The adjustment was done using the direct method with the countrys population in 2023 as the reference population.

På grafer med pasientaggregerte data er tallene justert for å unngå dobbelttelling av pasienter. Det reelle antall pasienter er derfor større når man ser på en enkeltvariabel for et fokusområde. For eksempel så vil pasienter som har vært i privat og offentlig behandling i løpet av et år kun telles en gang totalt, og da vil antallet pasienter i privat behandling bli underkommunisert.

SKDE is solely responsible for the interpretation and presentation of the data provided by NPR. FHI/NPR is not responsible for analyses or interpretations based on the data.