Help for this other embarrassing gas

Q:

Sometimes when I stretch or do yoga, I get the sensation of trapped gas in my vagina, and when it releases, it makes a loud sound like I’m passing gas. I didn’t mind when I was doing home videos, but I just started taking in-person classes again. How can I prevent this?

A:

You’re not alone! Two recent studies found that 1 in 3 women visiting urogynecological clinics reported experiencing vaginal flatulence. What causes it? Think of the area created by your pelvic floor muscles, abdominal wall, lower back and respiratory diaphragm as an air-pressure system with only one opening—the vagina. Unlike the anus, which has a sphincter to control the release of gas, if any air is trapped inside the vagina it will find its way out through this opening. Normally the vagina is “collapsed” and air doesn’t find an easy entrance. But if air is pulled in, say while doing certain stretches or during sex, the air-pressure system pushes it back out, leading to a loud sound of passing gas.

Thankfully, I can suggest simple strategies to help keep the air from getting trapped in the first place. First, make sure you aren’t holding your breath when you stretch or do yoga— doing so puts more pressure on your pelvic floor, raising the risk of trapped air. As you transition between moves, try to focus on breathing deeply so you fill your belly with air. Relax your body as you exhale, and before inhaling again, do a Kegel (squeeze the muscles normally used to stop urine flow). You can even practice this in the privacy of your own home until you’re able to do the moves noise-free. But if you can’t, consider asking your instructor for help. She can provide you with modifications to any inverted postures, which are more likely to pull air into the vagina, so you don’t need to worry during class.