Whoopi Goldberg Made Bladder Leakage Ads Famous. A 30-Minute Sling Makes Them Unnecessary.
Excerpt: Whoopi Goldberg helped millions of women talk openly about leaking. Dr. Martin Pakideh explains stress urinary incontinence and the midurethral sling, a short outpatient procedure that can fix it.
In this article
The leak with a name: stress urinary incontinence
What a sling is
What the procedure is like
Is a sling right for you?
Do the math on your pads
Frequently asked questions
Years ago, Whoopi Goldberg became the face of a bladder-leakage pad campaign. She talked openly about leaking when she laughed, which, for a comedian, is an occupational hazard.
It was a brave move. It got millions of women talking about something they'd been hiding. But here's what the ads didn't say: for many women, leaking isn't something you have to manage with pads forever. It's something we can fix.
The leak with a name: stress urinary incontinence
If you leak when you cough, sneeze, laugh, jump or lift, you most likely have stress urinary incontinence. It's not about emotional stress. It's about physical pressure on your bladder overpowering the support underneath your urethra.
That support often weakens after childbirth, with aging, after menopause or from years of high-impact exercise. It's extremely common. That doesn't make it normal, and it doesn't mean you have to live with it. If you're not sure which type of leaking you have, start with Peeing When You Laugh Is Common. It Isn't Normal.
What a sling is
Think of a hammock. A midurethral sling is a thin strip of material placed under the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of your bladder. It sits there quietly, doing nothing, until you cough or laugh. Then it gives the urethra the backstop it needs to stay closed.
It's one of the most studied procedures in women's pelvic health, and it's been used for decades. MedlinePlus lists surgery among the standard treatments for stress incontinence when other options haven't worked.
What the procedure is like
It's quick. The procedure itself usually takes about [Confirm: 30] minutes.
It's outpatient. Most women go home the same day.
The incisions are tiny. One small incision inside the vagina, sometimes with two tiny skin punctures.
Recovery is short. Most women return to desk work within days and avoid heavy lifting for a few weeks.
At Monroe OBGYN, I've placed a great number of slings, and most of my patients tell me the same thing at their follow-up: "I should have done this years ago."
Is a sling right for you?
A sling works best for stress leakage, the kind triggered by physical pressure. It's not designed for urge incontinence, the sudden "I have to go right now" feeling. Many women have a mix of both, so a proper evaluation matters before any surgery. That often includes urodynamic testing, which we do right here in our office.
Before a sling, many women try:
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Kegel exercises done correctly
A pessary, a small device worn in the vagina for support
Lifestyle changes like weight loss and managing constipation
These help many women. If you've tried them and you're still leaking, a sling is often the next step, and frankly, many women wait far too long to take it.
Do the math on your pads
Pads and liners, every day, for years. Extra laundry. Avoiding the trampoline at your kid's party. Skipping the exercise class you love. The real cost of leaking isn't just money. It's all the living you quietly opt out of.
Whoopi made it okay to talk about leaking. Now let's make it okay to fix it.
Tired of leaking? Book a consultation at Monroe OBGYN or call (734) 242-2022.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bladder sling the same as the mesh in the lawsuit ads? No. The mesh behind most lawsuits was a different product used for prolapse. I explain the difference in Slings vs. Mesh Headlines.
How long does a sling last? For most women, the results last for many years. Long-term studies show most women stay dry or much improved years after the procedure.
Can I have a sling if I still want children? It's usually best to wait until you're finished having children, since pregnancy and delivery can affect the repair. Until then, pelvic floor therapy or a pessary can help.
Will I be able to exercise again? Yes. That's one of the most common reasons women choose a sling. Most can return to full exercise after a few weeks of healing, once we clear them at follow-up.
References
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Urinary Incontinence.
About the author: Dr. Martin Pakideh, DO, is a board-certified OB-GYN at Monroe OBGYN specializing in robotic and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, pelvic reconstructive surgery and urinary incontinence treatment. He has trained surgeons from hospitals across Michigan in advanced robotic techniques.
This post is for general education and isn't medical advice. Talk to your own doctor about your situation.
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