What Women Need to Know About Their Pelvic Floor

National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) is an annual observance dedicated to empowering women and girls of all ages to prioritize their health and well-being. Each year, the FDA Office of Women’s Health (OWH) celebrates NWHW by spotlighting key health topics that affect women at every stage of life and also support OWH’s Knowledge and News on Women’s Health (KNOWH) outreach initiative. 

This year, NWHW is May 11–17, 2025, and OWH’s theme, Know Your Pelvic Floor, encourages women of all ages to learn more about their pelvic floor—including types of pelvic floor disorders, risk factors, symptoms, treatment options and proactive steps to strengthen and support the pelvic floor and overall wellness.

Pelvic floor health is an important part of overall well-being. Throughout NWHW, OWH will share information to help you Know Your Pelvic Floor. Check out our National Women's Health Week (NWHW) webpage for more details on our NWHW resources.

Where is the pelvic floor and why does it matter for women? 

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and tissues that support important organs like the bladder, urethra, anus—and in women—the uterus, cervix, and vagina. These muscles help keep the pelvic organs in place and sustain bladder and bowel control. These muscles also help maintain sexual function. When the muscles of the pelvic floor become weak, tight, or don’t work properly, pelvic floor disorders (PFD) may occur. Taking care of your pelvic floor health and being aware of pelvic floor conditions can help prevent and address issues that can impact quality of life.  

What are pelvic floor disorders? 

Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) occur when the muscles or tissues of the pelvic area become weakened or injured. This can happen because of childbirth, obesity, age, genetics, and other factors. These conditions affect approximately 1 in 4 women at some point in their lives. Some common PFDs to be aware of include:

• Pelvic organ prolapse: may occur when weakened pelvic muscles can no longer support one or more organs, causing the organ to drop from their normal position or press into or out of the vagina. 
• Urinary incontinence (UI): is defined as the loss of bladder control, causing a frequent urge to urinate or unintentional leakage. Urinary leakage may be triggered by laughing, coughing, or sneezing. Women are twice as likely as men to experience different types of UI. This is due to the structure of the female urinary tract as well as the effects of pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause.  
• Fecal incontinence: the inability to control bowel movements, causing stool or liquid to leak from the rectum due to damaged or weakened muscles that control the release of stool. 
• Pelvic pain: a general term for the various pelvic conditions that cause steady, periodic, sharp, or dull pain in the pelvis. These conditions may include but are not limited to, pain in the vulva (external female genital organ), painful sex, and involuntary spasm of the vagina (vaginismus). 

How is pelvic floor health related to chronic illness? 

Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) can impact a woman’s daily life and overall well-being. PFD symptoms are considered chronic if they occur consistently for a year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.

Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), respiratory disease, and even lower back pain are being researched for their link to pelvic floor issues. Addressing pelvic floor health as part of a broader chronic condition management plan can help women better manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. If you are experiencing persistent pelvic pain, incontinence, or discomfort, talk with your health care provider or pelvic floor specialist to find out more information on treatment options.

What factors increase the risk of pelvic floor disorders?  

Many factors can contribute to the development of pelvic floor disorders (PFD). Some of these common risk factors can include:

• Childbirth: during pregnancy and vaginal childbirth, many changes happen to the nerves, muscles, and connective tissue in the pelvic floor that can lead to weakness or dysfunction—especially with each additional child. Giving birth to a baby over the weight of 8.5 pounds also increases risk of developing a PFD. 
• Consistent pressure on your pelvic floor: from being overweight, from chronic constipation or straining for bowel movement, from heavy lifting, and from chronic coughing. 
• Getting older: as women age and during menopause, pelvic floor muscles can weaken. 
• Weak tissues: due to genetics, some women are born with conditions that affect the strength of connective tissue, making them more likely to have a PFD.  
• Surgery: a history of hysterectomy or surgery to correct pelvic organ prolapse is associated with an increased risk.

What are the symptoms of a pelvic floor disorder? 

There are many different types of pelvic floor disorders (PFD), and symptoms can vary or overlap. Some symptoms may include: 

• Heavy, full, pulling, or aching sensation in the vagina, often worsening by the end of the day or due to a bowel movement
• Seeing or feeling a “bulge” or “something coming out” of the vagina
• Stool leakage or difficulty controlling gas
• Urine leaking when coughing, laughing, or exercising

Some women with pelvic floor disorders do not have symptoms at first or think that their bladder control problems are just a normal part of life. Unfortunately, many women suffer in silence due to embarrassment. However, pelvic floor disorders are nothing to be ashamed of and are treatable. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk with your health care provider.

Many women ignore symptoms of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) as “normal” or feel too embarrassed to talk about them—but they should not be ignored. 

Watch this video to learn more about PFDs—including risk factors and symptoms of different types of pelvic floor disorders, treatment options and proactive steps to take to strengthen and support the pelvic floor.

How are pelvic floor disorders diagnosed? 

Women experiencing pelvic floor symptoms should consult their health care provider.  Evaluation of pelvic floor symptoms includes a thorough medical history followed by a physical exam with a focus on the pelvic floor. Additional tests and/or imaging may be recommended including tests for bladder and bowel function.

How are pelvic floor disorders treated?

Depending on how serious the pelvic floor disorder is, treatment can range from lifestyle changes to non-surgical or surgical treatments—or a combination. Talk with your health care provider to determine the best treatment for you. 

Lifestyle changes may include: 

• Limiting food and drinks that stimulate the bladder, such as caffeinated, carbonated, or alcoholic beverages, citrus fruits, and drinks with artificial sweeteners.
• Eating a high-fiber diet to help your body digest food and prevent constipation and straining during bowel movements.
• Losing weight to relieve pressure on pelvic organs. 

Nonsurgical treatments include: 

• Bladder training: involves using the bathroom on a set schedule to regain bladder control and overcome urges to urinate. 
• Pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT): Pelvic floor exercises or therapies including Kegels or myofascial release can help patients with pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) improve muscle tone and function. Kegel exercises, involve repeatedly squeezing and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles while myofascial release is a form of physical therapy that aims to release tension and tightness in the muscles and connective tissue of the pelvic floor. PFPT may also include other exercises and therapies that when performed routinely, can help strengthen the pelvic floor and improve symptoms of urinary incontinence and prolapse.
• Medicine: FDA-approved products can be prescribed to treat certain bladder control problems, prevent loose stools, or stop frequent bowel movements. 
• Vaginal pessary: a removable device inserted into the vagina to help support pelvic organs that have prolapsed and improve bladder control. Pessaries come in many different shapes and sizes. Certain types of pessaries can treat both pelvic organ prolapse as well as urinary incontinence. 

Surgical treatments 

Surgical treatments can sometimes be used to treat pelvic floor conditions. Surgery may be recommended for women with significant discomfort or pain from pelvic organ prolapse that impairs their quality of life. Speak with your health care provider to determine if surgery is the best option for you.  

DOWNLOAD - NWHW 2025 Social Media Partner Toolkit which focuses on the pelvic floor. The toolkit provides resources for women and health care professionals, including sample social media messages and blog posts.

FDA’s role

The FDA Office of Women’s Health (OWH) is committed to protecting and promoting the health of women. Having a strong and healthy pelvic floor is important for overall well-being. Understanding the signs of pelvic floor disorders and getting treatment early can help prevent discomfort and improve quality of life. Getting regular check-ups and talking with your health care provider can help you learn more about how to support your long-term pelvic floor health and overall well-being.

This NWHW, take time to Know Your Pelvic Floor. It’s never too early or too late to make pelvic floor health a priority. A strong, healthy, pelvic floor provides the foundation for movement, stability, and comfort. Take time to take care of your pelvic floor health. 

For resources and materials on other women’s health topics, visit www.fda.gov/womens. 

Related links 

• Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) 
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP)
• Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs) | NICHD 
• Pelvic Pain | NICHD 
• Pelvic inflammatory disease | HHS Office on Women's Health