Urinary Incontinence in Asian Women: Insights, Treatments, and Innovations

How can Asian women support their health and wellbeing across key life stages — from reproductive years and postpartum recovery to menopause and healthy aging? In this community-friendly talk, Dr. Bertha Chen — Stanford urogynecologist and national leader in women’s health — will share key insights on pelvic floor changes across life stages and urinary incontinence, along with practical strategies to promote bladder control.

Through a culturally informed and empowering lens, Dr. Chen will discuss how culture, communication, and stigma may influence Asian women's health behaviors — and why early care and open conversations matter. She will highlight evidence-based approaches for urinary incontinence, including lifestyle habits, pelvic floor exercises, and medical and surgical options.

Join us to learn practical, compassionate, and research-based ways to care for your body and wellbeing — grounded in culture, education, and proactive health practices.

Speaker: 

Dr. Bertha Chen is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine with specialization in Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, and she also holds a courtesy appointment as Professor of Urology. She maintains a busy clinical practice dedicated to caring for women with urinary incontinence and pelvic floor dysfunction. In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Chen directs a basic science laboratory that investigates extracellular matrix metabolism in pelvic tissues, stem cell technologies for regeneration of the urogenital system, and voiding dysfunction. She leads a multidisciplinary research team of experts in urology, physics, engineering, stem cell biology, and medicine, specializing in translating fundamental stem cell science into clinical applications. Her innovative work is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.