- More than 4.3 million women give birth in the US each year
- 91% of mothers in the US say they want to improve their physical health
- 75% of all US women report UI: Urinary Incontinence, or leakage of urine
- UI, Urinary Incontinence, affects more than 200 million people worldwide and only 1 in 8 Americans who experience symptoms of UI are diagnosed.
- The average woman waits over 6.5 years, enduring symptoms, to seek diagnosis with UI.
- UI is a common post-partum complaint that is largely treatable with pelvic floor muscle exercise, a primary component of WAI’s program
- In the US, the total cost of UI is $19.5 billion per year: greater than the annual direct costs of breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer combined.
- 43% of women, about 40 million, are affected by sexual dysfunction
- After childbirth, 20% of women take longer than 6 months to resume comfortable intercourse.
- Sexual dysfunction is largely due to physical changes around the pelvic floor, so WAI supports the notion that attention to this area must be taught and devoted to ensure full healing
- Post-partum pelvic floor dysfunction (UI, pelvic pain, painful intercourse) and musculoskeletal dysfunction (lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain) due to pregnancy, left unaddressed, can be present several years later
- Unaddressed physical implications from pregnancy often result in negative emotional, physical, psychological and relational fall-out and get passed off as “normal” consequences of childbirth when they are not.
- WAI’s physical practices program can alleviate and eliminate common post-partum physical complaints.
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Mission
The maternal and pelvic health concerns of women and girls are important, and we exist to serve those needs. We employ a range of partnerships & interventions, including clinical training, community education, research, advocacy and outreach. Our mission includes all females. Everywhere.... READ MORE >>
Motivation
During pregnancy, our bodies change daily in ways that are physical, emotional, and hormonal. To support a growing baby our hearts pump more blood, we need more oxygen, breathing gets harder as our uterus grows, our ligaments loosen to make childbirth easier, the curve in our spines changes, our balance and center of gravity sh... READ MORE >>
Action
A steadily rising group of us, more than 4.3 million women, give birth each year in the US. Most of us can expect a “normal” recovery period, one without acute complications. So most of us can benefit significantly from learning about what it takes to successfully recover during the post-partum year. Know the components, do the program, and reap the benefits for a lifetime.