What urogynecology covers
Urogynecology deals with disorders of the pelvic floor — the system of muscles and ligaments that supports the bladder, the uterus and the rectum. When that support weakens, problems appear that affect everyday life directly: urinary incontinence, a feeling of heaviness or a bulge in the vagina, urinary urgency, and difficulty with sexual intercourse.
Why it happens
- Childbirth, particularly several births or a difficult vaginal delivery.
- The fall in estrogen after the menopause.
- Excess body weight.
- A chronic cough or chronic constipation, which raise the pressure inside the abdomen.
- Heavy manual work or lifting.
- Previous pelvic surgery.
How it is treated
Treatment is stepped up according to how severe the symptoms are and how much they trouble you. It starts with conservative measures such as pelvic floor exercises, weight control, treating constipation and local hormone therapy. When these are not enough, there are effective surgical solutions, most of them minimally invasive.
Many women wait years before speaking about these symptoms. They are not a normal consequence of age or of childbirth, and the great majority of them can be treated.