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Evidence to Improve Care

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Stress Urinary Incontinence, Fecal Incontinence, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Final Recommendation

  • Ontario Health, based on guidance from the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee, recommends publicly funding pelvic floor muscle training for stress urinary incontinence for women and men and pelvic organ prolapse in women.

Read the final recommendation report


The pelvic floor is a funnel-shaped structure that has functions related to digestion, urination, and reproduction. The term pelvic floor dysfunction covers a variety of conditions, signs, and symptoms. The 3 most common conditions are stress urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.

Conservative (nonmedication and nonsurgical) treatment for pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence includes lifestyle and behavioural interventions, dietary modifications, and vaginal pessaries. For fecal incontinence, conservative treatment includes dietary modifications. Pelvic floor muscle training is another conservative treatment option.

This health technology assessment looked at how safe, effective, and cost-effective pelvic floor muscle training (supervised by a trained health care professional) is for adults with stress urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse. It also looked at the budget impact of publicly funding pelvic floor muscle training and at the experiences, preferences, and values of people with stress urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or pelvic organ prolapse.

Read the full health technology assessment report for more information.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training for Stress Urinary Incontinence, Fecal Incontinence, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse
August 2024

  • PDF

  • XML (accessible version to come)

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The Ministry of Health is currently reviewing this recommendation.

The Ministry of Health has provided the following response: The Ministry has a standardized process in place to review health technology assessments and funding recommendations. This takes into consideration Ministry priorities, implementation options, the need for consultation with impacted stakeholders, and funding considerations.



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