I noticed a bulging lump sensation in my vagina

Aged just 18 and living away from home at university, she had never heard of the condition which could affect up to 50% of women during their lifetime.

"I noticed when I went to the toilet a bulge was coming out of my vagina," she said.

"I was also experiencing incontinence and pain during intercourse and a bulging feeling.

"I didn't really know what to think because I honestly knew nothing about my body at that time."

Natashja, now 24, says she did not know what her pelvic floor or her cervix were at the time.

"So I asked my friends 'Is this bulging lump sensation normal?'," she said.

"They said, 'Maybe it's your G-spot. Maybe it's just a spot'."

Natashja, from Greenwich in London, didn't know what to think so she left it and hoped it would go away with time.

But her symptoms got worse and after 18 months she finally confided in her mum who persuaded her to see a doctor. It was later confirmed she had uterine prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the group of muscles and tissues that normally support the pelvic organs, called the pelvic floor, becomes weakened and cannot hold the organs firmly in place.

It causes one or more of the organs to move down from their normal position, leading to a bulge that can be felt inside or outside the vagina. This can be the womb, bowel, bladder or top of the vagina.

Many women are unaware they have a prolapse or only have mild symptoms, but for some it can have a real impact on their quality of life.

Symptoms can include a heavy dragging sensation or feeling of something coming down the vagina - which is sometimes described like a feeling of 'sitting on a tennis ball' as well as bladder and bowel issues and discomfort during sex.

Pelvic floor exercises and lifestyle changes can help to improve symptoms, but sometimes medical treatment is needed such as vaginal pessaries or surgery.

Causes of prolapse include genetics, heavy lifting, constipation or a persistent cough.

Pregnancy and childbirth increase the risk of prolapse, particularly after a difficult labour.

Women are also more likely to develop prolapse as they get older, especially after the menopause.

But Natashja is keen to make people aware it can affect younger people too.

She is trying to lift the stigma around pelvic organ prolapse through social media and her blog 'Living With Prolapse'.

"There's still so much stigma around prolapse, around discussing your genitalia and that doesn't allow for people to go see a doctor," she said.

"I know that if there was less stigma I would've gone to a doctor much earlier."