Why digital pelvic therapy is so effective as a women's health benefit

The growing need for better pelvic health solutions

The case for digital pelvic therapy is no longer a question of if it works, but proof of how well it works.Decades of silence and underinvestment have left millions of women without adequate care for pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).¹¹ ¹² Today, peer-reviewed studies and validated outcomes from Bloom by Sword Health show that digital-first pelvic therapy is safe, effective, and delivering results at scale.

The need is urgent. One in three women in the United States will experience PFD in her lifetime, and rates rise to nearly half of all postmenopausal women.¹ ² Symptoms like urinary incontinence, prolapse, bowel dysfunction, and chronic pelvic pain affect the day-to-day life of women who suffer with decreased confidence, intimacy, productivity, and career progression.

Why effective women's health care is so financially impactful

• Women with PFD are 3.6 times more likely to develop depression or anxiety,³
• chronic pelvic pain alone can reduce workplace productivity by more than 60 percent.⁴
• Left untreated, conditions often worsen, leading to surgeries that average nearly $30,000 per case.⁵

This is where digital pelvic therapy can make such an outsized impact by offering women accessible care from the comfort and secuirty of home. Virtual care programs remove the barriers of traditional care. There is no longer a requirement to juggle family and work responsibilities to schedule appointments during clinic hours. Woman also don't need to confront the intimidating prospect of sharing their intimate symptoms with a stranger in a medical clinic environment.

The results speak for themselves: peer-reviewed studies and third-party-validated analyses show higher adherence⁶ ⁷, clinically significant symptom improvement⁶ ⁷, and a 2.9:1 verified return on investment¹⁰ for organizations.

Clinical evidence shows digital pelvic therapy is consistently effective

Bloom's digital pelvic therapy programs have now been tested in large-scale, peer-reviewed studies, and the results are consistent across research cohorts.

• Completion rates exceed 77 percent, with satisfaction averaging 8.6 out of 10.⁶
• Adverse-event rate is only 0.69 percent, with no serious events reported.⁶
• Symptom severity and quality of life improve meaningfully, measured by validated tools such as the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) and Urinary Impact Questionnaire (UIQ-7).⁶ ⁷

In contrast, traditional in-clinic physical therapy faces significant engagement challenges. Many women discontinue care after just three or four sessions due to time, stigma, or scheduling barriers.¹³ Digital-first therapy eliminates these barriers, allowing women to continue treatment consistently, which is the single biggest predictor of successful outcomes.

This high adherence level is one of the clearest reasons why digital pelvic care models are outperforming conventional approaches. Women are completing their programs, improving faster, and maintaining progress longer.

How digital pelvic health removes the access barriers of in-clinic care

Traditional pelvic therapy, while clinically effective, is often inaccessible. For many women, clinic visits require time off work, travel, or childcare arrangements. The U.S. has only one pelvic health therapist for every 10,000 women,⁸ leaving long waitlists and limited appointment availability. In addition, the sensitive nature of symptoms, from bladder leakage to pelvic pain, can make it emotionally difficult to seek in-person help.

Digital pelvic therapy transforms that experience. By allowing women to complete care privately from home, it eliminates the barriers that have historically kept them out of treatment.

• Privacy and discretion: Members receive care through a secure app, guided by licensed specialists.
• Flexibility: Half of Bloom sessions occur after working hours, and 22 percent on weekends.⁹
• Accessibility: Women in rural or underserved areas can access doctoral-level expertise without the need for travel.

When stigma, logistics, and scheduling barriers disappear, participation rises. Adherence drives success, and that is what digital therapy enables at scale.⁶ ¹²

How pelvic therapy works and why it is so effective

At its core, pelvic therapy focuses on retraining the muscles that support the bladder, bowel, and reproductive organs. When these muscles are too weak, tight, or uncoordinated, they cause pain, pressure, and leakage. Digital pelvic care programs like Bloom help women learn to rebuild strength, relax tension, and restore muscle coordination, improving both physical comfort and daily confidence.

The evidence base for pelvic therapy is strong and well established. Cochrane systematic reviews (which synthesize decades of international research) have consistently shown that pelvic floor muscle training significantly reduces leakage, improves quality of life, and prevents symptom progression compared to no treatment.¹³

These benefits extend across all life stages, including postpartum, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, making pelvic therapy a foundational component of women’s health. Digital pelvic care programs like Bloom bring this same top-quality treatment into the home, enhanced by technology and continuous expert support.

Bloom’s proven results for women and organizations

Bloom’s results are meaningful at both the individual and population level.

Bloom's impact on women's healthcare outcomes

• 61 percent of members with moderate-to-severe symptoms achieve clinically significant improvement.⁶
• 76 percent report reduced anxiety, and 54 percent report improvement in depression.⁶
• 9 out of 10 average satisfaction score.⁶

Bloom's impact on organizational metrics

• Productivity improves by 50 percent after nine sessions.¹⁰
• Annual healthcare savings average $2,276 per member.¹⁰
• Bloom delivers an average ROI of 2.9x, validated by Risk Strategies Consulting.¹⁰

For employers and health plans, Bloom’s outcomes demonstrate the measurable impact of supporting women’s pelvic health, improving quality of life while reducing medical costs and strengthening workforce performance.

Equity and access: how to reach the women who need it most

The greatest strength of digital pelvic therapy is its ability to close equity gaps. Nearly half of Bloom members live in moderate-to-high social deprivation areas, yet their results are equivalent to those of peers with greater access to healthcare resources.⁹

By removing physical, geographic, and social barriers, Bloom ensures that more women receive the care they deserve, not just those who can afford time off work or proximity to a clinic.

In this way, Bloom represents a model of healthcare equity in action, delivering proven outcomes, measurable savings, and genuine accessibility for every member population.

Why pelvic therapy belongs in every women’s health benefits plan

For health plan and benefits leaders, pelvic health is both a clinical and financial imperative. Untreated pelvic floor dysfunction drives high downstream costs through specialist visits, surgeries, incontinence supplies, and mental health claims. Bloom's personalized women's health care program is the simple, effective, and scalable solution that makes access and engagement easy.

Adding Bloom to your benefits offering gives your members:

• Access to expert-led care, anytime and anywhere
• Proven improvements in symptom control and quality of life
• Measurable reductions in medical and productivity costs

For your organization, adding Bloom to your offering demonstrates a clear commitment to women’s health equity, innovation, and cost-efficient care.