Alaska Women's Health, PC / Urogynecology / Anchorage, Alaska

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Alaska Women's Health, PC
4115 Lake Otis Parkway
Anchorage, AK 99508

Pelvic Organ Prolapses

Welcome urogynecology patients!: Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse can be embarassing and uncomfortable problems. These problems can affect everyday activities and enjoyment.

Dr. Carol Mitchell-Springer is our Urogynecology expert at AWH. With many years of experience, Dr. Mitchell-Springer is adept at diagnosing and treating many female urogenital problems. In order to determine your possible urinary incontinence problems read the Urogynecology Questionnaire that is located on our Patient Forms page. This may help you determine if you need to be seen for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), urge incontinence, mixed incontinence, overflow incontinence, or another urinary issue.

Dr. Mitchell-Springer also diagnoses and treats pelvic organ prolapse (e.g., cystocele, rectocele, enterocele, uterine prolapse, and vaginal vault prolapse). Dr. Mitchell-Springer is highly trained in the latest surgical treatments for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence. She also treats her patients with problem specific exercises, diet changes, medications, and/or vaginal pessaries.

If you are already scheduled to see Dr. Mitchell-Springer, please print out the Urogynecology Questionnaire and the Voiding Diary from our Patient Forms page and fill them out prior to your visit. Please also fill out the other new patient forms on our Patient Forms page:

Urogynecology Definitions: Cystocele - The bladder sags into the vagina due to weak or torn pelvic floor muscles.

Enterocele - The small intestine bulges into the vagina.

Mixed Incontinence - This is when women have symptoms of both stress and urge incontinence.

Overflow Incontinence - This is when the bladder fails to completely empty upon urination. It may be caused by dysfunctional nerves or a blockage in the urethra that prevents the flow of urine.

Pessary - A plastic device that is placed in the vagina to help support the bladder, vagina, uterus, or rectum.

Rectocele - The rectum bulges into the vagina.

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) - Urine leakage caused by weak or torn pelvic floor muscles. Urine leakage can happen when lifting something heavy, exercising, coughing, sneezing, laughing, or getting up from a bed or chair.

Urethra - The tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body.

Urge Incontinence - The sudden, intense urge to urinate, followed by a loss of urine before you can reach the bathroom. You may feel that you can never reach the bathroom fast enough and you may wake several times a night with the strong urge to urinate.

Uterine Prolapse - The uterus sags into the vagina. The uterus may fall as far as the opening of the vagina.

Vaginal Vault Prolapse - The walls of the vagina fall in on themselves.