Some of the best healthcare innovations have the potential to dramatically alter the lives of many people, especially those that are hidden away due to stigma or for other reasons. Injury and dysfunction of the pelvic floor can be seen as a part of women’s health, but far from being an engaging or glamorous area of medicine; the challenges presented require empathic, evidence-based treatments that not only address the functional impairments of the patients but also the profound sense of shame that often accompanies these disorders.
MV.Health is transforming the way we approach care by replacing outdated and impersonal treatments with a holistic, empathetic, and innovative approach powered by cutting-edge technology. There is a significant lack of over-the-counter options, leaving many women—especially those in postpartum recovery and menopause—without effective treatment. To address this gap, MV.Health collaborates closely with urologists, ob-gyns, and pelvic floor therapists to develop accessible solutions, delivering compassionate and effective care directly to consumers. This multidisciplinary strategy highlights their commitment to treating every individual with respect, addressing sensitive issues like pelvic health without stigma, and ensuring patients receive the comprehensive care they deserve.
Dr. Soum Rakshit is a key player for MV.Health as CEO and Co-founder. Having a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, he combines technical expertise with an immense interest in healthcare innovation, focused on creating accessible solutions for stigmatized or often-overlooked health conditions. He played a pivotal role in the development of several award-winning devices designed to address both men’s and women’s health needs safely and effectively, without negative side effects, all grounded in rigorous clinical research.
We had a discussion with Dr. Rakshit regarding the organization. Let’s delve into it
Can you share your background and what inspired you to specialize in pelvic floor therapy?
We decided to specialize in Pelvic health after working closely with urologists, ob-gyns, pelvic floor therapists, and sexual health experts to understand that it is one of the biggest unmet needs in women’s health, especially post-childbirth, and often ignored or stigmatized, so most people don’t get the treatment they need.
We saw how transformative a solution like pelvic floor therapy could be – not just for the person’s physical health, but also their confidence and quality of life. However, getting access to therapy is hard for most people due to high costs and very low ratio of therapists to patients nationwide.
What inspired us most is knowing that pelvic floor therapy can give people their lives back. That’s why we’ve focused so much of our research on creating accessible and effective pelvic health solutions. It’s incredibly rewarding to know we’re breaking down barriers and making a real difference for people who’ve felt overlooked for a long time.
What educational path did you take to become a pelvic floor therapist, and were there any pivotal experiences during your training?
While I’m not a pelvic floor therapist, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the best in the field. My background is in biomedical engineering, so I solve problems through innovation in collaboration with clinicians. The pivotal moments for me were seeing close friends and family members go through pelvic pain after childbirth and not having access to any solutions, or even any knowledge of the issues in many cases.
How long have you been practicing in this field, and what types of cases do you find most rewarding?
I have been in the area of biomedical engineering for over 20 years. My PhD focus area, back in 2004, was in eye biometrics, and since then I have been passionate about bringing medicine and engineering together to create purposeful innovations that can significantly improve people’s quality of life. The most rewarding moments are when our devices help someone recover from a major life event like post-cancer, surgery, childbirth, menopause, etc.
What is your approach to patient care, and how do you ensure that each patient feels comfortable discussing their concerns?
We work closely with medical professionals – urologists, Ob-gyns, pelvic floor therapists – to make sure everything we create is evidence-based and something patients can trust. Collaboration with medical professionals and having multiple published studies is crucial as it demonstrates credibility, giving both clinicians and patients comfort in trusting and trying our devices. A big part of our focus is changing how people think about pelvic health. We try to make everything accessible, both in terms of cost, with FSA/HSA eligibility and in user experience.
What are some common challenges you face in your practice, both from a clinical perspective and in terms of patient awareness?
The biggest challenge is awareness – pelvic health issues are often under-discussed and stigmatized, leaving many unaware of available solutions. Clinically, the challenge is designing effective, user-friendly devices that fit daily life. Collaborating with medical experts ensures we meet patient needs, balancing innovation, usability, and accessibility. Ultimately, it’s about educating and empowering people to take charge of their health.
Have you noticed any recent trends or developments in pelvic floor therapy that you find particularly exciting or promising?
One exciting trend is the integration of technology, like biofeedback devices and apps, into pelvic floor therapy. These tools make treatment more accessible and interactive, allowing patients to monitor and improve their pelvic health from home, significantly reducing the cost of care. I’m also inspired by the growing awareness around pelvic health, which is helping to reduce stigma and encourage early interventions like pelvic floor exercises, down training, and the use of vibrations to relax and release the pelvic floor.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in pelvic floor therapy?
Focus on empathy and education. Pelvic health is deeply personal, so building trust with patients is crucial. Focus on continuous improvement by collaborating closely with both clinicians and patients from all ages and demographics. Put equal emphasis on creating awareness and education. It’s an area that still faces stigma, so any work in this space will make a huge difference in normalizing these conversations and improving people’s quality of life.
Breakthrough in Female Sexual Pain Treatment
In the study, Preliminary Results from a Multicenter Study on the Use of a New Device for the Treatment of Genito Pelvic Pain Disorders, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, there was a 5x+ improvement score in domain of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) Sexual Pain from 0.40 to 2.32 over a 12-week period. This is the most significant improvement of any studies done in the area of Genito Pelvic Pain. The link of that study is provided below: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609522002533
