The 2024 Origin Pelvic Health Study

Introduction

Four women in neutral underwear standing side by side.

Women’s pelvic health has been ignored for too long

A well-documented lack of women’s health research combined with routine dismissal of female pain and persistent stigma around sexuality has led to the normalization and neglect of pelvic health symptoms.

The time for change — for more awareness, education, and access to care — is now. Women deserve to feel good in their bodies, at every stage of life.

Most pelvic health symptoms are linked to the pelvic floor

Symptoms included in this study can be caused by or related to pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), which occurs when pelvic floor muscles are unable to adequately contract, relax, or engage in coordinated movement necessary to support healthy bowel, bladder, and sexual function.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a first-line treatment for all forms of PFD, and women’s health PTs are uniquely qualified to provide holistic musculoskeletal support in pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause, when these symptoms often begin or worsen.

About this survey

This survey was conducted in partnership with Ipsos and made possible with funding organized by Rise Together Ventures.

Research approach

10-minute double-blinded, online, quantitative survey

Fielded from January 11- 22, 2024

Sample

612 women ages 18-59

180 Gen Z (ages 18-27)
227 Millennials (ages 28-43)
205 Gen X (ages 44-59)

Oversamples

112 women who gave birth within the past 5 years (ages 18-49)

Statistical testing

This study has a margin of error +/- 5.0 percentage points at the 95% confidence level for all respondents

Conducted between groups of interest when a minimum base size of 30 is met

Key Findings

Pelvic health symptoms have reached epidemic proportions, yet the majority of women are not getting the care they need.

83%

of women ages 18-59 experienced at least one pelvic health symptom in the past year

75%

2 or more symptoms in the past year

66%

3 or more symptoms in the past year

5

Average number of pelvic symptoms in the past year

The most common pelvic health symptoms

Bladder & bowel symptoms impacted 1 in 2 women in the past year
Sex-related symptoms impacted 1 in 3 women in the past year

Millennial women are even more likely to experience a host of symptoms

Swipe right to see data

Bladder

Leaking pee when you cough, sneeze, or exercise (even if occasionally)

Peeing more than once every 2 hours

Feeling like you have to pee again right away

Feeling like you can barely hold your pee

Feeling like you can’t fully empty your bladder

Finding it difficult to start the flow of pee

Chronic UTI symptoms (that don’t go away with antibiotics)

Bowel

Straining to poop

Feeling like you can’t get all the poop out

Pain when you poop

Leaking gas or poop

Prolapse

Heaviness in the pelvic area

Feeling like something is falling out of your vagina

Feeling like you have a tampon in when you don’t

A bulge inside of your vagina

Sex

Inability to reach orgasm

Unsatisfying orgasm

Pain with sex (vaginal/anal penetration or outercourse)

Delayed orgasm

Pain with and/or after orgasm

Other

Tailbone pain when you sit

Vulva itches or burns and you’ve ruled out a skin/yeast infection

Vulva (external genitalia) feels numb when you sit or ride a bike

Age 18-59 (n=612)

48%

38%

37%

33%

27%

13%

2%

52%

48%

29%

21%

13%

7%

5%

3%

33%

25%

22%

18%

8%

19%

8%

Gen Z (n=180)

22%

31%

27%

20%

27%

10%

3%

47%

44%

29%

11%

10%

7%

8%

4%

29%

24%

17%

13%

6%

14%

16%

10%

Millennial (n=227)

51%

40%

44%

34%

31%

17%

2%

51%

48%

30%

20%

18%

8%

6%

3%

43%

31%

27%

22%

12%

22%

20%

8%

Gen X (n=205)

61%

41%

36%

39%

23%

10%

2%

55%

52%

27%

9%

5%

2%

4%

24%

20%

22%

16%

4%

19%

20%

8%

These symptoms take a toll on women’s lives…

64%

…yet women are not getting the care they need

96%

The Childbirth Effect

Women who have had a baby in the past 5 years report an increase in pelvic symptoms and significant gaps in care.

Pelvic health symptoms often start or worsen after giving birth

1 in 3

women (32%) who had a baby within 5 years experienced pain with sex within the past year

7 in 10

women (67%) who had a baby within 5 years experienced bladder leaks within the past year

Chronic pelvic pain is significantly more prevalent in women who have given birth within the past 5 years

Vaginal/vulvar pain within past year

14%

Baby within 5 yrs

vs.

Bladder pain within past year

16%

Baby within 5 yrs

vs.

Anal pain within past year

10%

Baby within 5 yrs

vs.

Negative impact of symptoms adds to the postpartum burden

79%

Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy is underutilized

92%

Many women do not feel adequately supported by medical providers during postpartum

About

2 in 5

women (44%) who had a baby within 5 years say providers did not help them understand what is and isn’t normal in terms of symptoms

Nearly

1 in 4

women (23%) who had a baby within 5 years say they felt ‘not at all supported’ by their medical providers during their postpartum physical recovery

There are major reported gaps in pregnancy and postpartum health education

Women who have given birth within the past 5 years report receiving no guidance on…

Healing their pelvic floor after childbirth

86%

Reducing their risk of tearing during childbirth

85%

Healing their abdominals after pregnancy & childbirth

83%

Exercising safely before or after childbirth

71%

Effectively pushing out a baby

68%

Managing pregnancy pain

50%

Some women do not feel satisfied with medical providers as they recover postpartum

Women who have given birth in the past 5 years report dissatisfaction with medical care related to…

Swipe right to see data

Healing and strengthening your pelvic floor after vaginal childbirth

Managing bladder and bowel symptoms

Returning to sexual activity

Returning to exercise and physical activity

Managing postpartum pain and discomfort

Caring for your baby without straining your body

Returning to work

Sample (n=119)

42%

37%

32%

31%

29%

23%

Women who have given birth within the past 5 years may not know when or how to get additional care

Top barriers to care:

Lack of education

Aren’t sure what is or isn’t normal

33%

Aren’t sure that anything could help

30%

Aren’t sure which provider to see

21%

Lack of time

Lack time/energy to get medical care

32%

Current gaps in maternal care may contribute to the declining birth rate

1 in 6

Menopause & Perimenopause

Pelvic health symptoms often worsen in this stage of life, yet according to our survey, many women are not getting medical support for menopause symptoms.

As with childbirth, symptoms can begin or worsen in perimenopause and menopause

1 in 5

women in peri/menopause (21%) experienced pain with sex within the past year

3 in 5

women in peri/menopause (63%) experienced bladder leaks within the past year

Many peri/menopausal women are not getting medical care for their symptoms

40%

34%

30%

Barriers to getting care for menopausal symptoms

Lack of education

Aren’t sure what is or isn’t normal

25%

Aren’t sure that anything can help

22%

Lack of time or money

Lack the time/energy to get medical care

15%

Can’t afford it

9%

Appendix

Additional findings among women ages 18-59.

Often painful for women, pelvic exams are a missed opportunity to evaluate for pelvic floor dysfunction

28%

report pain with pelvic exams

A woman strengthening her pelvic floor without kegels by doing a bridge.

The pros & cons of kegels

Kegels (which strengthen the pelvic floor) are often overused and misused, while equally important relaxation exercises are far less well known.

Women don’t always know what kegels can and can’t help with

1 in 5

About Origin

Origin is the leading provider of women’s health and pelvic floor physical therapy. We support full body needs for women and people with vaginal anatomy in every stage of life, through our nationwide virtual care and 17 in-person clinics across seven states.omen ages 18-59.

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) and its related symptoms impact the vast majority of women. Unaddressed, PFD costs the healthcare system billions of dollars and has an outsized impact on physical and mental health.

We’re on a mission to create a higher standard of care nationwide and increase access to this essential yet missing piece of women’s health.