Most aspects of womens health and common gynaecological problems can and should be managed in primary care. However, not all GPs have the interest, skills or experience to manage these issues with the best treatment and advice. All the doctors who see you at Gynaecare are specialists in womens health specifically, and reproductive and sexual health issues for all. We can assist women of all ages regarding menstrual problems; pelvic pain; sexual dysfunction; cervical, breast and ovarian cancer screening, HPV, pap smear and colposcopy; infertility advice and fertility options, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infection, contraception advice, pre pregnancy counseling; shared antenatal care; unplanned pregnancy management, including termination of pregnancy; common mental health conditions (such as anxiety and depression), and menopause counselling and treatment.
Bleeding patterns may be regular if you have a normal menstrual cycle with periods approximately monthly. If you have heavy or painful periods, there may be an easy solution to improve your quality of life, such as the combined oral contraceptive pill, or an intrauterine system. Menorrhagia is a term used when a woman’s periods are prolonged, heavy and unmanageable. Historically, women with this problem were referred for hysterectomy, but now an endoscopic ablation or IUS insertion can be a simpler, safer option.
Bleeding patterns which are irregular, erratic or heavy may be due to an irregular ovulation cycle ( often found with PCOS). Odd bleeding, such as after sex bleeding, may be due to infection, such as chlamydia. Some hormonal contraceptives, such as the contraceptive implant can cause troublesome bleeding. For women in their perimenopausal or postmenopausal years, vaginal bleeding always needs to be investigated to exclude sinister causes.
After menopause, womens health concerns shift from issues mainly relating to reproductive health, to that of a post menopausal situation where bone and cardiovascular health and wellbeing are increasingly important.
Continence is a common concern in women over 50, as many women experience light bladder leakage as they become more mature. Incontinence can be due to a number of factors such as pelvic floor weakness, infection or bladder muscle overactivity.
Consultations at Gynaecare’s (Chatswood) Sydney clinic will involve taking a thorough history, (listening to symptoms, ideas and concerns), an examination which frequently involves a pelvic examination, and possibly the ordering of investigations (eg ultrasound, swabs, pap smears, and blood tests) and then a discussion regarding management. This may involve changes to existing medication, the use of an IUD/IUS, management of abnormal pap smears, colposcopy, dilatation and curettage (D and C), or minor surgery to remove a cervical polyp or treatment of infection. Some women warrant further referral to a specialist for treatment that we cannot provide at Gynaecare. Should you require referral to a local specialist, we will recommend the best place for you to go.
We are happy to see women considering removal of genital lesions like warts, cysts or skin tags.