Postpartum Pelvic Floor Health Program

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Whether you need a preventative examination, pregnancy care or treatment for a gynecological condition, our OB/GYN specialists are here for you. Call 310-794-7274 to schedule an appointment today.

UCLA Postpartum Pelvic Floor Health Program

Our Mission

Our mission is to offer a unique multidisciplinary approach to postpartum pelvic floor care and rehabilitation. We are committed to helping you optimize your pelvic floor health during and after pregnancy and birth.

About Us

We are a multidisciplinary team of urogynecologists, pelvic floor physical therapists, and pelvic floor radiologists working together to provide individualized care of women after delivery. This includes not only the short-term effects of pregnancy, labor, and birth on the pelvic floor, but we can also help evaluate and manage any potential long-lasting effects from childbirth

Our team aims to:

  1. To offer comprehensive and individualized evaluation for women with pelvic floor issues after delivery, including pelvic floor imaging
  2. To offer a full spectrum of management options for pelvic floor injury, including surgery when indicated
  3. To educate women on pelvic floor health and counsel women on options for rehabilitation and prevention of injury
  4. To create a hub for research in postpartum pelvic floor health and prevention of pelvic floor injury

Conditions Treated

We are here to help women who experience problems after childbirth including:

  • Third and fourth degree tears
  • Episiotomy issues
  • Urinary leakage and other bladder control issues
  • Stool and gas leakage
  • Difficulty emptying the bladder or bowels
  • Urinary or rectovaginal fistulas
  • Painful intercourse
  • Wound complications and scars

We also aim to optimize pelvic floor health after delivery by providing:

  • Pelvic floor rehabilitation after delivery 
  • Counseling regarding strategies for reducing the risk of pelvic floor injury
  • Individualized pelvic floor strengthening programs
  • Specialized diagnostic testing with pelvic floor ultrasound
  • Counseling regarding future pregnancy

Our Expert Team

Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Specialists - Gynecology

Appointments

Please call 833-UCLA-WPH (833-825-2974)

Research

Clinical trial open for enrollment:
Levator Ani Role in Response to Physical Therapy for Stress Incontinence: This study evaluates the pelvic floor muscles by ultrasound in women with stress incontinence.
For more information, email [email protected] or call 310-825-5255.

Prior Studies:
What Factors Impact Initiation and Completion of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?  Evaluation of Pelvic floor PT Referrals from an Academic Medical Center (Authors: Mwesigwa JP, Fullerton ME, Grisales T, Tarnay CM)

Does the Origin of Referral to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Matter?  Retrospective Cohort Examining Referral Patterns and Patient Compliance Rates Across FPMRS, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urology, and Primary Care from an Academic Medical Center (Authors: Fullerton ME, Mwesigwa JP, Grisales T, Tarnay CM)

These two studies reviewed 497 referrals to pelvic floor physical therapy from within the UCLA system and assessed factors impacting initiation and compliance to pelvic floor physical therapy. FPMRS-Gynecologists referred the highest number of women to physical therapy. However, percentage of women completing therapy was similar regardless of specialty placing the initial referral. Age, number of pregnancy, and reason for referral did not make a difference. Both studies were presented at the American Urogynecologic Society Meeting, Nashville TN, 2020.

News

"UCLA Postpartum Pelvic Floor Health Program leads way in injury treatment and research" on the UCLA Health Connect Blog