Pelvic Floor Disorders Network at Penn: Advancing Treatments for Urinary and Fecal Incontinence
Official title: Pelvic Floor Disorders Network
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11348230 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Penn-led multi-site effort is testing new approaches to help people with pelvic floor disorders, including urinary and fecal incontinence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2011 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $276,250 |
| NIH project number | 5UG1HD069010-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11348230 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with pelvic floor disorders, especially those experiencing urinary and/or fecal incontinence, who may participate in surgical, behavioral, or translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pelvic floor symptoms or those not eligible for specific trials may not benefit.
What this research studies
The Pelvic Floor Disorders Network at the University of Pennsylvania brings together pelvic floor specialists to run multi-site trials aimed at improving outcomes for people with incontinence. The team includes urogynecologists, a urologist, and a behavioral nurse practitioner who work on trial design, recruitment, and reporting. Current efforts focus on surgical options for mixed urinary incontinence, gut microbiome and metabolomics related to fecal incontinence, behavioral therapies, and cost-effectiveness analyses. They also explore validating a fecal transplant protocol for potential use within the network. This work is powered by strong research infrastructure and a track record of successful multi-center collaboration.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to more effective treatments and better quality of life for people with pelvic floor disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Multi-center trials in pelvic floor disorders have shown meaningful advances in treatment options, with ongoing studies building on prior findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harvie, Heidi S — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Harvie, Heidi S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Pelvic Floor Disorders Network site at Brown/WIH
A patient-facing site program that contributes to research on female pelvic floor disorders to improve care and outcomes.
-
Pelvic Floor Disorders Network Cycle V Renewal at UT Southwestern
A coordinated national effort to study pelvic floor disorders in women, with UT Southwestern leading efforts to recruit a diverse group of participants and to pilot a multicenter trial to prevent urinary and fecal incontinence.
-
Pelvic floor disorder network site expansion at UCSD and Kaiser
A patient-centered research opportunity to help improve treatments for women with pelvic floor disorders through a multi-site clinical trial network.
-
Postoperative pelvic floor recovery with guided early exercise
A multicenter clinical site will test a guided early exercise program after prolapse surgery to help people recover faster without harming pelvic floor outcomes.
-
Pelvic floor disorders care network site at Duke University Medical Center
A Duke clinic site joins a national network to advance pelvic floor disorder care through standardized trials and high-quality patient recruitment.
-
Pelvic Floor Disorders Network data center to help improve care for women
A national data coordinating center helps coordinate studies on pelvic floor disorders in women to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.