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Dr. Sanz shares if there are ways for women to prevent a urinary incontinence problem.
Dr. Sanz:
Well, to prevent urinary incontinence there is an exercise called Kegel’s exercise that you really have to be taught by the doctor’s office. It is not going to 100% prevent it, but this is strengthening the pelvic floor. That is an important thing that our philosophy now with our new field of urogynecology is very important that teenagers should be begin to learn it. In France, for example after a woman has a baby, part of the postpartum visit is to teach the woman how to do pelvic floor exercises, which are called Kegel’s exercises. We are coming now to a conclusion that it should be taught to teenagers, females, and obviously things that may or may not be, that patient may not have much to do with that, but, if a baby is too large to be born vaginally, they have to do what we call operative obstetrics, forceps and so forth, that may cause damage to the pelvic floor. What we call a prolonged second stage, the stage when the woman is pushing, if it is prolonged, if it is three or four hours, that also weakens the innervates, cut the nerve supply to the pelvic floor and may increase the incidence of urinary incontinence.
BIO:
Dr. Luis Sanz leads Urogynecology & Pelvic Surgery at Virginia Hospital Center, focusing on pelvic floor disorders such as urinary incontinence and prolapse (bulging) of the vagina, bladder and/or uterus. In addition to Dr. Sanz's particular interest in the subspecialty of Urogynecology, he also sees patients for standard gynecological exams and treatment.
Dr. Sanz is a Professor, Scholar Track, in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University School of Medicine, where he also formerly served as Vice Chairman and Chief of the Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics. He was also Director of Georgetown's Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstruction Clinic.
A member of AOA (Medical Honor Society), Dr. Sanz's prior academic appointments and professional experience also include: Associate Professor in Pediatrics at Georgetown University Hospital and Director, Colposcopy Clinic and Gynecologic Cancer Detection Center (D.C. General Hospital, Georgetown University Service). Among the professional organizations to which Dr. Sanz belongs are: American Association of Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Gynecological Urology Society, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Visit Dr. Sanz at the Virginia Hospital Center:
http://vhc4women.com