Urogynecology & Pelvic Health

Why choose UCLA Health for pelvic medicine?

At the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health, we deliver comprehensive, individualized care focusing on female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. Patients benefit from our vast expertise, advanced technology and empathetic approach. Our experienced and compassionate staff support patients throughout their care.

Highlights of our program include:

Physician expertise: We are a multispecialty center with urologists and urogynecologists. All our doctors are board certified in urology or obstetrics and gynecology with additional board certification in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. They have years of training specifically devoted to treating pelvic floor dysfunction in women, including bladder leakage, vaginal prolapse and more.

Full range of treatments: We offer both nonsurgical and surgical treatments for pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic reconstructive surgery. Our providers have helped develop groundbreaking surgical techniques and medical treatments, including advanced robotic surgery and minimally invasive techniques to treat incontinence.

Compassionate care: Many patients are embarrassed to seek treatment for pelvic floor disorders. Our providers understand this and treat each woman with empathy and compassion.

Individualized treatment plans: Pelvic floor disorders affect women in many ways. We create individualized treatment plans to address each woman’s needs and preferences.

Our services

Our pelvic medicine team provides advanced, coordinated care for women with pelvic health concerns. Our areas of care include: 

Center for Women’s Pelvic Health

Specialists in the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health provide extensive treatment for disorders affecting the pelvic floor. We offer the full spectrum of care, from noninvasive treatments to pelvic reconstructive surgery. Our team creates personalized care plans to fit each woman’s needs.

Postpartum Pelvic Floor Health Program

Our team of urogynecologists, pelvic floor physical therapists and pelvic floor radiologists works together to care for women after childbirth. We treat all types of concerns, including third- and fourth-degree vaginal tears, bladder control issues, painful intercourse and wound complications.

Our team is committed to helping you optimize your pelvic floor health during and after pregnancy and birth. We:

• Educate and inform you about issues affecting your pelvic floor and how to prevent pelvic floor injury
• Evaluate and manage short-term effects of pregnancy, labor and birth, as well as potential long-lasting effects on your pelvic floor
• Provide pelvic floor strengthening and rehabilitation

Pelvic floor disorders we treat

One in three women experience a pelvic floor disorder at some point in their lives. Pelvic floor dysfunction can occur when women have weakened pelvic floor muscles or tears in their connective tissues. Conditions we treat include:

Pelvic organ prolapse: Occurs when the pelvic organs drop below their usual position due to weakening muscles and tissues in the pelvic floor. One of the most common symptoms is bulging, pressure or a heavy sensation in the vagina.

Urinary or fecal incontinence: Inability to control the bladder or bowels, leading to urine or stool leakage. Both conditions are more common in older women.  

Overactive bladder: Causes frequent and sudden urges to urinate that are difficult to control. It’s more common in older women.

Neurogenic bladder: Occurs when brain, spinal cord or nerve problems affect bladder control. Symptoms may include problems storing urine or emptying the bladder, urinary incontinence and pelvic pain.

Urethral diverticulum: A pouch or pocket that forms along the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. Symptoms may include burning while urinating, painful intercourse and dribbling of urine after urination.

Vaginal fistula: An irregular connection between the vagina and another organ, such as the bladder or rectum. It causes urinary or fecal incontinence. 

Urinary tract infections (UTI): Infection in any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, urethra, ureters and kidneys. Common symptoms include a burning sensation while urinating and blood in the urine.

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: A chronic condition causing frequent bladder pressure or pain.

Urethral stricture: Narrowing of the urethra caused by scar tissue. It causes problems emptying the bladder.

Testing and treatments we offer for pelvic floor dysfunction

Our pelvic health team provides patient-focused education, comprehensive testing and treatment for pelvic floor disorders. Tests and treatment options include:

Diagnostic tests for pelvic floor disorders  

We use several tests to evaluate pelvic health, including:  

• Uroflowmetry: Evaluates how quickly the body releases urine 
• Post-void residual: Measures the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination
• Multichannel urodynamics: Measures pressure in the bladder and abdomen
• Videourodynamics: Assesses the bladder and urethra as the bladder fills and empties
• Cystoscopy: Examines the urethra and lining of the bladder
• Pelvic floor ultrasound: Views the pelvic muscles and other structures in the pelvis

Pelvic surgery and treatment

We provide a full range of nonsurgical and surgical treatments for pelvic floor disorders. Treatments include:

Pelvic floor physical therapy: This specialized therapy trains patients to strengthen or intentionally relax the pelvic floor muscles.

Injections: Treatment may include botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections for overactive bladder or urethral bulking agents to treat urinary leakage associated with coughing and physical activity.

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation: This nonsurgical treatment involves placing a needle near a nerve in the leg (tibial nerve) and stimulating it with an electric impulse. The electric impulse travels to the bladder nerves to help improve bladder control.

Sacral neuromodulation: Providers place a device below your skin on a nerve in your lower spine (sacral nerve). This device stimulates the nerve with an electric impulse to improve bladder control.    

Minimally invasive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse: Surgeons operate with tiny tools through a few small abdominal incisions to restore the pelvic organs to their proper position.

Complex pelvic reconstruction: These corrective surgeries repair irregularities in the pelvic organs. Patients may have pelvic reconstruction to treat pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, pelvic pain or interstitial cystitis and genitourinary fistula.

Meet our team

Looking for a urogynecologist near you? Our experienced care providers offer personalized, compassionate care for pelvic floor disorders. We create comprehensive, advanced treatment plans to improve your quality of life and pelvic organ function.