NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders (PFDs) Research Information

Many women in the United States have one or more PFDs.1,2 PFDs can significantly reduce a woman’s quality of life.2 The number of women who undergo surgery to correct a bladder control problem or pelvic organ prolapse is projected to rise sharply over the next several decades.2 NICHD-supported researchers have predicted that the number of surgical patients for PFDs will increase by 47%—from about 210,000 in 2010 to 310,000 by 2050.3

NICHD has invested substantially in PFD research. Specifically, NICHD-supported scientists seek to better understand the basic mechanisms of PFDs and the factors, including pregnancy and childbirth-related injuries, that might affect a woman’s risk of developing PFDs. Researchers are also working to develop and evaluate minimally invasive treatments for PFDs. Finally, NICHD is striving to better define what outcomes women value most.

Learn more about NICHD’s ongoing support of research on PFDs and women's health, and review some recent advances in understanding, diagnosing, and treating these conditions in the PFD and Women’s Health fact sheet.


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Citations

  1. Lawrence, J. M., Lukacz, E. S., Nager, C. W., Hsu, J. W., & Luber, K. M. (2008). Prevalence and co-occurrence of pelvic floor disorders in community-dwelling women. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 111(3), 678–685.
  2. Nygaard, I., Barber, M. D., Burgio, K. L., Kenton, K., Meikle, S., Schaffer, J., et al. (2008). Prevalence of symptomatic pelvic floor disorders in U.S. women. JAMA, 300, 1311–1316.
  3. Wu, J. M., Kawasaki, A., Hundley, A. F., Dieter, A. A., Myers, E. R., & Sung, V. W. (2011). Predicting the number of women who will undergo incontinence and prolapse surgery, 2010 to 2050. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 205(3), 230.e1–230.e5. Retrieved October 10, 2019, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21600549