Researchers

Dr. Linda McLean, PT, PhD
‍Full Professor, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences; Chair in Women's Health Research, University of Ottawa

Dr. Aisling Clancy, MD, MPH, MSc, FRCSC
‍Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Urogynecology; University of Ottawa Clinical Junior Research Chair in Pelvic Floor Disorders, The Ottawa Hospital

Dr. Hisham Khalil, MD, FRCSC
‍Assistant Professor and Division Head, Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Program Director, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital

Dr. Dante Pascali, MD, FRCSC
‍Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital

Dr. Katherine Bonhomme, MD, MHPE, FRCSC
‍Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital

Dr. Joyce Schachter, MD, MSc, FRCSC
‍Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Urogynecology, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital

Dr. Elise Farmer, MD, FRCSC
‍Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Monfort Hospital

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‍Highlighted Project

Does an Intravaginal Support Device Worn During Training and Competition Reduce Urinary Incontinence Symptoms Experienced by Female Athletes in High-Impact Sports? A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

McLean, L; Clancy, A; Collins, G; Petter Rodrigues, M; Vesting, S

Approximately one third of female athletes experience urine leakage during their sport training. The aim of this randomized, controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of an off-the-shelf pessary worn during training/competition to reduce or eliminate urine leakage among athletes who compete in high impact sports including field sports, court sports and CrossFit. Female athletes will be recruited from each sport type (field, court, CrossFit) based on self-reporting regular leakage of urine during training/competition. Each participant will receive a vaginal pessary and will use it for four weeks either before or after being monitored for four weeks while they use no intervention.

Participants will report on their leakage symptoms, satisfaction with the pessary, and sport performance after using the pessary and after using no intervention for four weeks. Participants will also be monitored for any adverse events. We expect that the pessary intervention will be effective for reducing urine leakage and that athletes will be satisfied with it. We also expect that sport performance will improve when symptoms of urine leakage are reduced. Ultimately, we expect this study to provide strong evidence for recommending an off-the-shelf pessary to athletes who experience urine leakage. This study was recently funded by CIHR and recruitment is about to begin.

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Current Studies, Investigations, and Projects

Research

• Linda McLean: Does Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) reduce pain associated with endometriosis more effectively than a sham rTMS intervention? A randomized controlled trial. (CIHR funded)
• Linda McLean: Are the CNTL+ pessary kit instructions for use sufficient for women who leak urine with cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise? (Industry sponsored)
• Linda McLean: The effectiveness of a 12-week comprehensive photobiomodulation intervention alone or combined with multimodal physiotherapy for the reduction in pain and improvement in sexual function among those with provoked vestibulodynia? (CIHR funded)
• Linda McLean: What is the role of the pelvic floor muscles in running-induced urinary incontinence? (CIHR funded)
• Linda McLean; Feasibility of a novel personalized vaginal pessary to promote tissue healing after vaginal childbirth (NSERC funded)
• Linda McLean: How does age affect the morphology and function of the female levator ani? (NSERC funded)
• Aisling Clancy: The Impact of Untreated Pelvic Floor Dysfunction on Work Productivity, Work Absenteeism and Overall Function
• Aisling Clancy: Independent Self-directed Treatment of Anterior and apical pelvic organ prolapse using a vaginal Ring pessary Toolkit (I-START): A prospective observational cohort pilot study

Education and Quality Improvement

• Aisling Clancy and Katherine Bonhomme: Patient-centered intervention to improve adoption of perineal protection measures among high-risk patients with planned vaginal birth
• Katherine Bonhomme: Understand graduating ObGyn residents’ self-reported readiness to independently perform core gynecologic procedures
• Linda McLean: PelviSIM: A female pelvic floor simulation for teaching anatomy and pelvic examination skills

Leadership and Advocacy

• Dante Pascali is currently serving as President of the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine
• Hisham Khalil is currently serving as the Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine
• Linda McLean was the Chair of the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine Scientific Committee which organized a successful annual meeting in Ottawa in May 2026
• Aisling Clancy has been serving as chair of the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine (CSPM) Research and Development Committee (2025- 2026)
• Linda McLean is serving as Interim Vice-Dean, Research within the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa

Community

The Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery is based at the Shirley E. Greenberg Women's Health Centre, Riverside Campus of The Ottawa Hospital, with additional clinical activity at the Civic Campus and community partner sites including Hawkesbury General Hospital, Renfrew General Hospital and Harmony Health Centre. Members of our clinical division also provide Urogynecology Care in Iqaluit, Nunavut through the Ottawa Health Services Network. The Division is the only recognized urogynecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery (URPS) clinic in Eastern Ontario, and as such receives secondary, tertiary, and quaternary referrals for urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and obstetric pelvic floor injury from across a large regional catchment area. Recent expansion of regional care clinical pathways have been a mainstay of our recent clinical care changes.

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List of Publications (since September 2024)

1. Chen I, Khamisa K, Clancy A, Singh S, Tinmouth A, Touchie D, Fergusson D, Gagne S, Pysyk C, Graham M, Duke K, Prince A, Choudhry AJ, Gomes M. Improving Anemia and Curbing Transfusion in Gynecologic Surgery (IMPACT-GS): Multidisciplinary and Multimodal Pre-operative Hemoglobin Optimization. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2026 Jul 10:103454. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2026.103454. Online ahead of print. PMID: 42431428.

2. Puveendrakumaran P, Bonhomme K, Baillargeon A, Bonasia K, Clancy AA. Patient and Provider Attitudes Toward Perineal Injury Prevention Techniques for Vaginal Birth: A Qualitative Study. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2026 Aug;48(8):103407. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2026.103407. Epub 2026 Jun 1. PMID: 42229689.

3. Vesting S, Rodrigues MP, McLean L. Measurement and Interpretation of Intra-Abdominal Pressure During Physical Activity: A Scoping Review. Int Urogynecol J. 2026 May 30. doi: 10.1007/s00192-026-06635-2. Online ahead of print. PMID: 42217021.

4. Saraiva S, McLean L. Intra-abdominal pressure and pelvic floor muscle activation observed during hypopressive exercises performed in supine and standing: An observational cohort study. Physiotherapy. 2026 Sep;132:102316. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2026.102316. Epub 2026 Mar 7. PMID: 42000333.

5. Guérin Y, Maguire F, Clancy A, Stairs J. Beyond "Women's" Health: A Natural Language Processing Analysis of Trends in Gender-Neutral Language Use. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2026 Feb;48(2):103199. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2025.103199. Epub 2025 Dec 23. PMID: 41448389.

6. Stairs J, Allen VM, Dodge A, Clancy A, Woolcott CG. Association Between Active Phase of the Second Stage of Labour and Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injury Risk: A Contemporary, Retrospective, Population-Based Cohort Study. Int Urogynecol J. 2026 May;37(5):1375-1383. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06360-2. Epub 2025 Dec 22. PMID: 41427990.

7. Harris C, Woolcott CG, Dodge A, Allen V, Clancy A, Stairs J. The Association Between Episiotomy and Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injuries Among Vacuum-Assisted Vaginal Deliveries: A Population-Based Retrospective Canadian Cohort Study. Int Urogynecol J. 2026 May;37(5):1339-1345. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06435-0. Epub 2025 Dec 16. PMID: 41400660.

8. Petter Rodrigues M, Vesting S, Bérubé MÈ, Collins G, McLean L. The Posterior Urethrovesical Angle in Continent and Incontinent Women Before and After a Treadmill Run. Int Urogynecol J. 2026 Jun;37(6):1567-1575. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06460-z. Epub 2025 Dec 3. PMID: 41335243.

9. Giroux M, Carter Ramirez A, Dufour S, Globerman D, Larouche M, Pascali D, Sultan A. Guideline No. 465: Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIs) Part II: Long-Term Management and Counselling Regarding Subsequent Mode of Delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2026 Jan;48(1):103186. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2025.103186.

10. Khalil H, Kanji S, Tabatabaei T, Cheema G, Clancy A. Attitudes Towards Pooled Surgical Waitlists and Group Referral in Urogynecology: Higher Contemporary Acceptance Among Patients. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2025 Oct;47(10):103077. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2025.103077. Epub 2025 Aug 14. PMID: 40818524.

11. Bonasia K, Luong S, Stairs J, Clancy A. Impact of a Urogynecology Telehealth Consultation on Genital Self-Image and Sexual Function After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury. Int Urogynecol J. 2026 Jan;37(1):125-131. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06234-7. Epub 2025 Aug 2. PMID: 40751846.

12. Rossi JA, Bonasia K, Clancy A. Introital Vaginal Adhesion Following Caesarean Section: A Complication of Genitourinary Syndrome of Lactation. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2025 Sep;47(9):103049. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2025.103049. Epub 2025 Jul 21. PMID: 40701298.

13. Berube ME, Niederauer S, Graham R, Hitchcock R, McLean L. Is pelvic floor loading in female runners associated with post-run changes in pelvic floor morphometry or function? BJU Int. 2025 Oct;136(4):707-718. doi: 10.1111/bju.16842. Epub 2025 Jun 30. PMID: 40586130.

14. McLean L, Antonio FI, Rodrigues MP, Pukall C. Pelvic floor muscle activation in response to pressure stimuli applied to the vulvar vestibule: an observational study comparing women with and without provoked vestibulodynia. J Sex Med. 2025 Jun 29;22(7):1158-1172. doi: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdae171. PMID: 39657064.

15. Antônio FI, Rodrigues MP, Tremblay F, Pukall C, McLean L. Corticomotor excitability of the pelvic floor muscles in females: Characteristics of motor evoked potentials and test-retest reliability. Clin Neurophysiol. 2025 Sep;177:2110803. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2025.2110803. Epub 2025 Jun 19. PMID: 40554990.

16. Jain M, Stairs J, Clancy A. Pelvic Organ Prolapse Mesh Graft Revision Surgery: Rates of Complication by Surgical Approach. JSLS. 2025 Apr-Jun;29(2):e2025.00019. doi: 10.4293/JSLS.2025.00019. Epub 2025 May 6. PMID: 40330666.

17. McLean L, Antonio FI, Rodrigues MP, Pukall C. Pelvic floor muscle activation amplitude at rest, during voluntary contraction, and during Valsalva maneuver — a comparison between those with and without provoked vestibulodynia. J Sex Med. 2025 Apr 15;22(4):570-578. doi: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdae170. PMID: 39657059.

18. Antonio FI, Pukall C, McLean L. Photobiomodulation therapy for the treatment of vulvar pain among those with provoked vestibulodynia: a randomized controlled trial. J Sex Med. 2025 Apr 15;22(4):579-587. doi: 10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf011. PMID: 39940084.

19. Petter Rodrigues M, Berube ME, Collins G, McLean L. What Pad Weight Gain During Treadmill Running Indicates Urine Leakage Among Females? An Observational Study. Int Urogynecol J. 2025 May;36(5):1053-1060. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06122-0. Epub 2025 Mar 21. PMID: 40116903.

20. Vesting S, Petter Rodrigues M, Collins G, McLean L. Intravaginal devices for running-induced urinary incontinence symptoms in females: a study protocol. BJU Int. 2025 Jun;135(6):931-939. doi: 10.1111/bju.16708. Epub 2025 Mar 12. PMID: 40071535.

21. Jain M, Stairs J, Sorgini A, Clancy A. Readability of Online Patient-Directed Content About Cystoscopy and Urodynamic Testing. Int Urogynecol J. 2025 Aug;36(8):1601-1606. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06100-6. Epub 2025 Mar 11. PMID: 40067508.

22. Rodrigues MP, Vesting S, McLean L. Does a Linear Array of Pressure Sensors Placed within the Vagina Really Measure the Ability of the Pelvic Floor to Respond to Increases in Intra-abdominal Pressure During High-Impact Activities? Int Urogynecol J. 2026 Apr;37(4):1107-1108. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06103-3. Epub 2025 Mar 6. PMID: 40047898.

23. Bonasia K, Luong S, Stairs J, Clancy A. Evaluating the Benefit of a Urogynecologic Telehealth Consultation after Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury. Int Urogynecol J. 2025 Mar;36(3):677-684. doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06077-2. Epub 2025 Jan 31. PMID: 39888385.

24. Globerman D, Carter Ramirez A, Larouche M, Pascali D, Dufour S, Giroux M. Guideline No. 457: Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injuries (OASIS) Part I: Prevention, Recognition, and Immediate Management. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2024 Dec;46(12):102719. doi: 10.1016/j.jogc.2024.102719. Epub 2024 Nov 23.

25. Berube ME, Niederauer S, Graham R, Hitchcock R, McLean L. The Feasibility of Using an Intravaginal Intra-Abdominal Pressure Sensor During Running to Evaluate Pelvic Floor Loading and Its Association with Running-Induced Stress Urinary Incontinence: An Observational Cohort Study. Int Urogynecol J. 2024 Nov;35(11):2211-2221. doi: 10.1007/s00192-024-05952-8. Epub 2024 Oct 23. PMID: 39441343.

26. Rudavsky A, McLean L. How does the pelvic floor respond to modulations in trunk pressure induced by a variety of voicing tasks? A cross-sectional, observational study. Physiol Rep. 2024 Oct;12(20):e70090. doi: 10.14814/phy2.70090. PMID: 39424427.

27. Conrad SJ, Bernard S, Gross DP, McLean L. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Systematic Review Using the COnsensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) Checklist. BJOG. 2025 Jan;132(2):105-117. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.17971. Epub 2024 Oct 3. PMID: 39363488.