Pelvic Floor Health | Dr Louise Newson LIVE

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that help to support your bladder, uterus and bowel. It is often referred to as a sling of muscles, and it stretches from your pubic bone to your coccyx. As well as supporting the pelvic organs, your pelvic floor muscles help you to control your bladder and bowel function and play a role in sexual response (including orgasm). Common causes of pelvic floor weakness include pregnancy and childbirth, constipation, being overweight, repeated heavy lifting, excessive coughing and pelvic surgery or trauma. While muscles can also weaken naturally with age, perimenopause and menopause can play a significant role. This is because your vagina, vulva, and urinary tract are lined with hormone ­receptor cells. When oestradiol (oestrogen) and testosterone levels reduce – especially during perimenopause and menopause – the lining of your bladder and urethra (the tube which carries urine out of the body) can thin, your pelvic floor muscle can weaken and your bowel can be more susceptible to dysfunction. In this YouTube Live, Dr Louise Newson will discuss more about this, including the symptoms you may experience and treatment options that may help. You can also read more on this topic on Dr Louise Newson's balance menopause website: https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/pelvic-floor-and-hormones/