Pessary Fittings

A pessary is a medical device made out of silicone that is designed to support the vaginal wall and pelvic organs. It can help with symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse such as heaviness, pressure, and bulging of tissues. It can also help with urinary incontinence such as with physical activity, sneezing, or coughing for example.

You do not require a doctor's referral to come to our Pessary Clinic and be fitted for a pessary.

In order to fit you for a pessary we do request that your physician complete our referral form to confirm your vaginal tissues are healthy so you can wear a pessary and to confirm there is no medical reasons why you cannot wear a pessary. You will also need to see your physician yearly to ensure the vaginal tissues  remain healthy. Sometimes, your physician may prescribe vaginal estrogen prior to wearing your pessary and/or while wearing your pessary to help build up the strength of the vaginal walls.

After your appointment, we will send a letter to your physician to communicate our assessment findings and which pessary is recommended.

The first step is to book a Pelvic Physiotherapy Virtual Assessment (30 minutes) with our pessary fitter and physiotherapist Jennifer Alexander. During this appointment  we will complete a thorough medical history, discuss how a pessary may help your symptoms, the risks with a pessary and your responsibilities.  If you decided to move forward with a pessary, you will be provided with a form for your physician to complete, where he/she will screen for any medical contraindications and ensure that vaginal estrogen is not required prior to wearing your new pessary. 

The next step is to schedule your Physiotherapy Pessary Fitting  Appointment. During this appointment, the physiotherapist will trial different shapes and sizes of pessaries to determine which pessary provides an optimal fit. If we cannot determine which is the best fit during this appointment, an additional follow-up may be required. 

Please note: This appointment is one hour in length and is billed at $185 which includes a $40 sterilization fee. 

Instead of coming in for a second fitting appointment, if time permits, some clients are requesting to stay longer until we find the best fit, at which point the rate of $145/hour will be billed.

Once we find a pessary that provides an optimal fit and support, we will provide you with a referral form and information on where you can purchase the pessary. Or we may have your type and size in clinic for purchase that you can take home the same day.  

After your pessary fitting appointment, you will need to come in for a Follow Up Pessary Fitting Appointment 2 weeks after wearing. We need to ensure your vaginal tissues are tolerating the pessary well.

For some patients, we can find the optimal pessary during the first fitting appointments, for others, it may take a few sessions to find the most appropriate size and shape. 

It is not recommended that you wear a pessary during pregnancy. 

Most pessaries will have to be removed for intercourse, however, the ring pessary maybe left in for vaginal intercourse if comfortable.