Despite its crucial role, the pelvic floor is confused with the vulva by 33% of French women.
- 52% of French women surveyed say they know where the pelvic floor is, but more than a third confuse it with the vulva.
- 45% of women do not know if their perineum is healthy.
- The most common drawbacks of a weakened pelvic floor are urinary incontinence, back pain and loss of feeling during sex.
Do you know where the perineum is? This is one of the questions that 1,015 women, aged 25 to 75, had to answer duringa survey produced by the Censuswide Institute for Intimina. According to the results, one in ten French people heard about the pelvic floor for the first time thanks to the survey. Another finding: only 52% of people surveyed say they know where the pelvic floor is and more than a third confuse it with the vulva. “51% of adults questioned in the Center region confuse the perineum with the vulva. 42% of women living in Nantes and 48% of patients living in Rouen confuse the perineum with the vulva”can we read in the study.
Pelvic floor: where is it located and why should it be taken care of?
Clearly, the pelvic floor is poorly understood. However, it has essential functions due to its positioning. As a reminder, the perineum is a set of muscles, tissues and ligaments in the area of the small pelvis. These extend from the pubis to the coccyx, protecting and supporting the organs, such as the bladder, uterus and rectum. Thus when the perineum is weakened, for example after a pregnancy, patients are more likely to suffer from urinary leakage or prolapse (ie a descent of organs) or even a loss of sensations during sexual intercourse.
Perineum: the majority of women hear about it for the first time from the age of 30
According to the survey, 45% of women do not know if their pelvic floor is healthy and 18% of people aged 66 to 75 say they have already experienced a weakened pelvic floor. Data shows that the most common disadvantages of a weak pelvic floor are urinary incontinence (52%), back pain (20%) and loss of feeling during sex (20%).
“Most people are unaware of the existence of the pelvic muscles until the first symptoms of some pathology appear, so I spend a lot of time educating about the pelvic floor and how it works”said pelvic floor physical therapist Rachel Gelman. According to the results of the survey, the majority of women first heard of the perineum from the age of 30, when the first symptoms can appear, mainly after pregnancy.
To strengthen your pelvic floor and fight against urinary leakage or prolapse, Rachel Gelman recommends betting on Kegel exercises, which 82% of women surveyed had never heard of.
