Listen & Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify

A pessary is like a sports bra for your vagina! Surabhi interviews Cara McDougall, a pelvic health physiotherapist specializing in pessary assessment and fitting. We discuss how pessaries support people with pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, who makes an ideal candidate, and the success rate. We debunk common myths and release the stigma around pessary use (it’s been around forever and there is no shame in wanting or needing one!).

Specific Topics:

1. What is a Pessary? → 0:01:53

2. History of Pessaries (it started in ancient Egypt!) → 0:02:10 

3. Helping Patients with Pessary Care  → 0:03:32

4. Symptoms of Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) → 0:06:45 

5. Who is the ideal candidate and ideal timing for Pessary Use? → 0:08:34 

6. What are unsafe circumstances for Pessary Use?  → 0:13:40  

7. Common Myths about Pessaries  → 0:15:00 

8. Gaining relief of symptoms with a pessary  → 0:17:25 

9. Trial Pessary → 0:20:00 

10. Sex & Pessary Use  → 0:21:18 

11. Periods & Pessary Use  → 0:22:36

12. What are pessary fittings like? → 0:27:00 

13. Pregnancy & Pessary Use  → 0:35:20 

14. Pessaries & Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) → 0:44:59

Today’s episode is sponsored by Embodia https://www.embodiaapp.com/ - use code momstrength to save $20 off your first month’s Tier 3 membership.

Important Links:
—Find Toronto Pessary Clinic on Instagram @torontopessaryclinic
—www.torontopessaryclinic.com  www.saskatoonpessaryclinic.com
—Want pelvic floor strength? Join my BASE fitness membership!
—Read my Blog: All your Prolapse questions answered or Does my vagina need a pessary (sports bra)?

Connect with Surabhi:

• Find Surabhi on Instagram or Facebook @thepassionatephysio

• Website: https://www.thepassionatephysio.ca