Pelvic Organ Prolapse · Patient guide

Uterine Prolapse Treatment in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Guide

Foreign patients can have uterine prolapse treated in Korea with a uterus-preserving operation in a single short visit: an English-language consultation and examination on arrival, vaginal hysteropexy under sedation and local anesthesia, same-day discharge, and follow-up from home. Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, registered for foreign patients since 2011, specializes in treating uterine descent without hysterectomy.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, OB/GYN specialist, Somssi Women's Clinic · Last updated October 2026

At a glance

Key facts

The essentials, based on how Somssi Women's Clinic performs this procedure or answers this question. Your plan is confirmed at consultation.

• Operation: vaginal hysteropexy with culdoplasty and posterior wall repair; uterus kept; no mesh
• Time in surgery: about 50 minutes to 1 hour
• Anesthesia: sedation plus long-acting local; local alone if preferred
• Hospital stay: none; same-day discharge
• Typical trip: consultation on arrival, surgery same or next day, several days' rest, then fly
• Language and registration: English consultation; Ministry of Health and Welfare foreign-patient institution (2011); Seoul Medical Tourism cooperation clinic (2016)
• Cost: written estimate after examination; no prices published

Uterine prolapse treatment in Korea for international patients is typically a short-trip, uterus-preserving procedure: you are examined and operated on within days of arrival, go home the same day as surgery, and are followed up remotely. This guide is written for a woman who has been told, at home, that she has a dropped uterus, has often been offered a hysterectomy, and wants to know what Seoul can offer instead and how to organize it.

Why women travel to Seoul for a dropped uterus

The most common reason is the uterus itself. In many health systems the standard offer for uterine prolapse is still vaginal hysterectomy, and women who would rather keep a healthy uterus find few alternatives close to home. Somssi Women's Clinic, a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, has made uterus-preserving hysteropexy its standard operation for uterine descent for more than two decades. Dr. Yoon is a member of the Korean Society of Urogynecology and has presented research on uterine prolapse and sexual function at congresses in Vienna, Sydney and San Diego.

Other reasons are practical: waiting lists are short, the procedure is done through the vagina with no hospital stay, follow-up is designed for patients who live far away, and specialist surgery in Korea is often less expensive than comparable care in the US, UK or Australia, although no figure should be assumed before examination.

What the operation involves

The clinic's uterine prolapse surgery lifts the descended uterus about 2–4 cm and fixes it to its own supporting tissue around the cervix (hysteropexy), closes the pouch behind the cervix (culdoplasty), thickens the posterior vaginal wall with your own tissue by peeling the mucosa to under 1 mm and suturing in two layers, and strengthens the pelvic floor at the opening. The front wall, bladder and urethra are left alone. No mesh or implants are used. The procedure takes about an hour under sedation plus long-acting local anesthesia, or under local alone if you prefer, and you walk out the same day.

Whether this suits you depends on your stage, vaginal length and tissue quality. Most stage 1–3 uterine prolapse is suitable; some advanced or previously operated cases are better treated in a hospital, and the clinic will tell you so before you travel if your reports make that clear. See hysteropexy vs hysterectomy for the medical comparison.

Your trip, step by step

1. Before you fly. Contact the clinic through the contact page or KakaoTalk with a description of your symptoms, any examination notes, ultrasound or operation reports, and your dates. You receive an English reply on suitability and what the visit involves. Arrange travel insurance that covers elective surgery abroad if you can.
2. Day 1: consultation and examination. At the clinic, about 100 m from Gangnam Station Exit 1, Dr. Yoon takes your history, stages the prolapse while you bear down, measures vaginal length and pelvic floor strength, performs pelvic ultrasound and checks for stress incontinence. You receive a written estimate covering consultation, surgery, anesthesia and standard follow-up.
3. Day 1 or 2: surgery. Fast for two hours beforehand, wear loose clothing and remove nail polish. After surgery you walk, shower and leave once you have passed urine, with about five days of tablets and written aftercare instructions.
4. Days 3–5: rest in Seoul. Gentle walking, light meals, no lifting. An optional check visit if your schedule allows; it is not essential, because sutures dissolve in about a week.
5. Fly home. Once you are comfortable sitting for the length of your flight. Walk the aisle, drink water, and let staff handle your luggage.
6. Weeks 1–8 at home. Light work within days; no heavy lifting, vigorous exercise, bathing or sauna for six weeks; intercourse after seven to eight weeks. The clinic follows up by message and photo. Full detail in how long uterine prolapse surgery recovery takes.

What it costs, and what determines the quote

The clinic publishes no prices, and the estimate you receive after examination depends on the stage, whether a perineal reconstruction or other procedure is combined, and the anesthesia used. Foreign patients pay the clinic's non-covered (비급여) fee directly; Korean national insurance does not apply to visitors. Some international health plans reimburse medically necessary prolapse surgery abroad, so ask your insurer in advance and request itemized receipts and a medical report. Budget separately for flights, four to seven nights' accommodation near Gangnam Station, and a small reserve in case you are advised to rest a day or two longer.

Practical details for visitors

• Language: English-language consultation; the clinic's AI consultation system offers real-time translation for other languages.
• Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 09:30–18:00; closed Thursday, Sunday and public holidays.
• Location: Teheran-ro 120, 7th floor, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam; about an hour from Incheon Airport by express train or limousine bus.
• Bring: passport, previous reports and imaging, a medication list, loose clothing, and a companion if you would like one for discharge.
• Privacy: a dedicated women's surgical clinic staffed by registered nurses; records are not shared.
• Staff experience with visitors: the clinic has received international patients since its 2011 registration and has worked with Seoul's medical tourism program since 2016.

See the international patients page for the full checklist.

Honest risks and limits

Hysteropexy carries the usual surgical risks: bleeding, infection, injury to the rectum or cul-de-sac, pain with intercourse, and recurrence over the years. Distance adds a consideration: if a complication arises after you fly home, you will need a local gynecologist, and the clinic provides an operation report for that purpose. Most issues that arise are minor and are managed by message. If your prolapse is very advanced, your tissue is very thin or you have significant medical conditions, Dr. Yoon may advise a hospital-based procedure instead, and it is better to learn that from your reports before buying a ticket.

Bottom line

Korea offers foreign patients fast, specialist, uterus-preserving treatment for uterine prolapse with no hospital stay and follow-up built for distance. Send your details, get an honest suitability assessment and written estimate, plan a stay of several days in Gangnam, and keep the six-week and eight-week rules once home. If you were told hysterectomy was your only option, it is worth a second opinion before you accept it.

Questions patients ask

Frequently asked questions

Short, honest answers. For anything personal, a consultation is the right place to ask.

See the full FAQ →

Can I avoid a hysterectomy by having surgery in Korea?

In most cases of stage 1–3 uterine prolapse without uterine disease, yes. Somssi's standard operation keeps the uterus and re-suspends it. If you have fibroids, abnormal bleeding or precancerous changes, hysterectomy may still be the right operation, and the clinic will say so after examination.

How many days do I need in Seoul?

Four to seven days is comfortable: consultation on day one, surgery on day one or two, then rest. Discharge is same-day and sutures dissolve on their own, so a longer stay is a matter of comfort for the flight rather than medical necessity.

Can I have the surgery the same day as my consultation?

Often, if you have fasted for two hours, your examination confirms suitability and the schedule allows. Many international patients prefer surgery the following morning so they have a night to consider the written estimate and plan.

What follow-up will I have once I am home?

Written aftercare instructions, a direct contact for questions, and review by message and photo. In-clinic follow-up sessions, which range from none to five depending on symptoms, are adapted for patients abroad. You will also be told what to do and whom to see locally if a problem arises.

Will my own doctor be able to see what was done?

Yes. The clinic provides an operation report describing the hysteropexy, culdoplasty and posterior repair so that any gynecologist at home can understand your anatomy and continue cervical screening as normal.

Is it safe to fly after prolapse surgery?

Flying a few days after a vaginal procedure with no abdominal incision is generally safe. Move regularly, stay hydrated, wear compression socks on long flights and do not lift your own luggage. If you have a history of blood clots, mention it at consultation.

Keep reading

Related treatments and guides

• Uterine Prolapse Surgery — the uterus-preserving operation described in this guide
• Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery — when bladder or rectal walls are repaired alongside the uterus
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Guide — the broader travel guide for all prolapse types
• How Long Does Uterine Prolapse Surgery Recovery Take? — timing your flight and your six weeks at home
• Hysteropexy vs Hysterectomy for Uterine Prolapse: Which Is Better? — the decision many visitors are making
• Do I Need a Hysterectomy for Uterine Prolapse? — a second opinion in writing
• Vaginoplasty in Korea for Foreigners: Complete Medical Tourism Guide — overlapping travel advice for posterior wall surgery

Sources and medical review

• International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) — patient information on uterine prolapse and uterus-preserving surgery
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) — guidance on pelvic organ prolapse
• Yoon H.J. Pelvic floor dysfunction and posterior colpoperineorrhaphy (150 patients), presented at the ISSWSH annual meeting, San Diego, 2008

Next step

A consultation first. A decision only when you are ready.

Tell us what you are experiencing and what you hope to change. Dr. Yoon examines, measures and explains the options, including when no surgery is the right answer. International patients can start with an online consultation before travelling to Seoul.