At Mount Sinai-Union Square, our specialists are skilled in providing comprehensive care in every aspect of female urology. We offer the best available treatments for overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and all other conditions affecting a woman’s urinary tract, pelvic floor, and sexual health. From advanced diagnostics to the newest surgical techniques, our team combines leading-edge care with the personalized attention you deserve.

Female Urology Conditions We Treat

Our approach begins with listening to your symptoms and concerns. We also use the most advanced diagnostics, including urodynamic testing (a procedure to assess urinary tract function), cystoscopy (a procedure to see inside the urethra and bladder), and radiographic imaging.

Our teams have deep experience in the full range of female urology conditions, including the following:

• Pelvic organ prolapse: This condition develops when the muscles that hold up the pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, and rectum) loosen, allowing these organs to drop below their normal position. The causes include childbirth, aging, and hormonal changes. Symptoms range from pressure in the vagina to the feeling something is bulging from the vagina to seeing a protrusion coming out of the vagina.
• Stress urinary incontinence (SUI): This common condition is characterized by urine leakage due to certain activities, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercise, or simply standing up in more severe cases. This condition can develop when the pelvic floor muscles are weakened by causes including weight gain, childbirth, and menopause.
• Overactive bladder (OAB): This condition involves a sudden and urgent need to urinate that occurs frequently throughout the day and night. It may also involve some urine leakage. The causes can be neurologic problems, hormonal changes, use of certain medications, or previous pelvic surgery. Sometimes there is no obvious cause.
• Female sexual dysfunction (FSD): Many women of all ages and life stages struggle with bothersome sexual symptoms, including low sexual desire, impaired genital arousal, difficulty with orgasm, and pain associated with sexual activity. The potential causes of FSD are various, and may be structural, hormonal, or due to the side effects of medication. Our therapeutic approach is holistic and multidisciplinary; in addition to providing medical and surgical therapies, we coordinate with other specialists as needed to optimize your care. 
• Interstitial cystitis (IC)/bladder pain syndrome (BPS): This chronic condition involves sensations of pressure and pain in the bladder area, as well as increased frequency and urgency with urination. IC/BPS is more common in women than in men.

In addition, our specialists are skilled in diagnosing and treating all other common and rare female urology conditions, including urinary tract infections, urinary tract fistula, urethral diverticulum, and more.

Female Urology Treatments at Mount Sinai-Union Square

Our treatment approach starts with educating our patients about the options, then deciding the best plan together. From lifestyle changes and conservative therapies to the newest surgical techniques, we have extensive experience in the full range of female urology treatments, including the following:

• Pelvic floor physical therapy: Used to treat overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, this treatment is performed by a specially trained therapist who can help improve the pelvic floor muscles to alleviate symptoms.
• Urethral sling surgery: Used to treat stress urinary incontinence, this procedure involves the insertion of a small strip (which may be made from your own tissue) placed below the urethra to support it.
• Bladder Botox: Used to treat overactive bladder, this in-office procedure involves injecting a small dose of botulinum toxin into the bladder muscle to help it relax, which reduces the frequency and urgency to urinate.
• Sacral nerve stimulation (SNS): In overactive bladder, the sacral nerve (which carries signals between the bladder and spine that trigger the urge to urinate) isn’t functioning correctly. This procedure involves inserting a small wire in your lower back to help regulate the sacral nerve and relieve symptoms. It is a great long-term solution to a chronic problem.
• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS): Used to treat overactive bladder, this in-office procedure involves inserting a fine needle above the ankle, which delivers a weak electrical pulse that stimulates the sacral nerve near the bladder. Several sessions of PTNS are required in order to improve bladder control.  
• Transvaginal surgery: There are several options for treating pelvic organ prolapse. Reconstructive surgery through the vagina can often repair the problem, leaving no visible scars. It is a safer approach than going through the abdomen and is a fast procedure that is often done in an outpatient setting. In some cases, depending on the woman’s preference, the vaginal canal can be closed as a simpler approach to treatment.

Female Urology Specialists at Mount Sinai-Union Square

Our committed female urology team of doctors, nurses, and staff includes the following specialists.

Sovrin Shah, MD
Assistant Professor of Urology, specializing in overactive bladder, stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic reconstructive surgery

Barbara Chubak, MD
Assistant Professor of Urology, specializing in sexual health, genital and pelvic pain, and lower urinary tract symptoms