Urology gynecology care in Denver

Within the HealthONE Physicians Group network, our obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) provide urogynecologic care for women in the Greater Denver area. Our providers diagnose and treat conditions that involve the pelvic floor and the urinary system and how these complex systems interact.

Learn more about our urogynecologic services by scheduling an appointment today.

What is urogynecologic care?

Receiving treatment from the right physician for your condition can be difficult, especially as a woman. Often patients with pelvic floor conditions were forced to see multiple specialists for treatment. Within the past decade, the field of urogynecology — a subspeciality that combines urologic and gynecologic disciplines — emerged to avoid this problem.

Gynecologist vs. urogynecologist

While gynecologists specialize in the care of women's reproductive systems, urogynecologists treat conditions that affect your pelvic floor, bladder and rectum. Our urogynecologists are also gynecologists that also have specialized training and experience with diagnosing and treating disorders of the pelvic floor and related conditions.

Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD)

Your pelvic floor is a muscle that holds your reproductive organs, bladder and rectum. Pelvic floor dysfunction is an umbrella term for a number of conditions and symptoms that occur when the pelvic floor is weakened. Many risk factors can affect the pelvic floor and cause dysfunction, including:

  • Being overweight or obese
  • Chronic constipation (due to straining)
  • Chronic coughing and/or sneezing (due to asthma, hay fever, etc.)
  • Gynecological or pelvic surgery
  • History of back pain
  • Menopause or postmenopause
  • Pelvic injury
  • Pregnancy and childbirth, especially multiple vaginal births
  • Regular heavy lifting (at work or the gym)
  • Smoking

PFD statistics

PFD affects more people than you may realize. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports:

  • One in four U.S. women will report having at least one PFD in her lifetime.
  • Up to half of women may experience pelvic organ prolapse.
  • PFDs affect 40 percent of those aged 60 to 79 years old, and about 50 percent of those aged 80 years old and older.

PFD symptoms and conditions

Many women seek the care of a pelvic floor specialist because of new or worsening sensations or symptoms of unknown origin. You might need to see one of our pelvic specialists if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

  • Acute or chronic pelvic pain
  • Feeling as though something is “falling down or out” of your vagina
  • Needing to get into different positions or press on the vagina to successfully have a bowel movement
  • New, uncomfortable bulge or fullness in the vagina
  • Pelvic muscular tightness, weakness or lack of coordination

Some of the specific conditions we treat include:

  • Overactive bladder syndrome
  • Painful bowel movements and accidental bowel leakage
  • Painful intercourse
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Recurrent bladder infections
  • Urinary incontinence

PFD treatment

Depending on your specific case, we offer a range of urogynecology procedures and management options that include:

  • Bladder suspension surgery — treats cystocele (prolapsed or fallen bladder)
  • Disposable or reusable pessaries — a device inserted into the vagina used to support the pelvic organs and help with leaking
  • Medical management — the use of medications and pelvic floor exercises to manage urge incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome
  • Sacrocolpopexy — a "sling" procedure to treat stress incontinence that often completely eliminates stress leaking
  • Urodynamic testing — a diagnostic assessment of the performance of the bladder and urethra

Pelvic prolapse

One common urogynecologic condition women encounter is pelvic prolapse, also known as pelvic organ prolapse, when one or more organs in the pelvic area fall from place into the vagina. The condition affects many women and often occurs following childbirth, menopause or a hysterectomy. Symptoms include:

  • Discomfort with urination, defecation or sexual intercourse
  • Low abdominal pain
  • Low back pain
  • Lump or bulge visible from the vaginal opening
  • Pressure in the vagina or pelvic area
  • Urinary, bowel or sexual dysfunction

By seeing a gynecologist who focuses on urogynecology, you can get the answers you're looking for quickly because our physicians understand these systems and the complex ways they relate to each other.

Pelvic prolapse care

There are a few urogynecologic services available to treat pelvic prolapse, including repairing a cystocele (fallen bladder) or rectocele (weakened rectal wall), colpocleisis (shortening of the vaginal canal) or minimally invasive hysterectomy, but the most common procedure is a sacrocolpopexy.

Sacrocolpopexy uses surgical mesh to suspend the vagina and correct pelvic prolapse. This procedure can be performed with the assistance of robotic technology. Robot-assisted surgery has many benefits, including:

  • Significantly less pain
  • Less blood loss and need for transfusions
  • Less risk of infection
  • Minimal scarring
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Faster recovery
  • Faster return to normal activities