Having regular pap smear tests is essential to maintaining good health. A pap smear test is very simple to do, is relatively quick and should not be painful or too uncomfortable. The health professional will insert a speculum (a small instrument that…
Menorrhagia is the term used to describe heavy menstrual bleeding. A heavy period is the result of abnormal uterine bleeding, an entire sanitary pad can become soaked within an hour and the woman may then have to change pads frequently for…
Uterine fibroid tumors are almost always benign. These benign (non-cancerous) tumors are found in most cases, in the uterus of women in their 30′s and 40′s. Fibroid tumors are solid tumors which are made of fibrous tissue, hence the name ‘fibroid’…
I have often found when a woman is faced with the prospect of having a hysterectomy there is a mixture of shock, disbelief, and anger. However equally often there is absolute relief that their problem/problems will be taken away. A hysterectomy is the surgical…
As a busy gynaecologist one of the most common complaints I see on a day to day basis are problems related to the menopause. What is the menopause? The menopause signals a time of change in a woman’s life hence…
Recently I went to a conference run by The incontinence society of New Zealand. It was attended by a wide range of health professionals including gynaecologists, urogynaecologists, physios, nurses and people dealing with incontinence. As always with such a diverse…
One of the most distressing aspects of our work as gynaecologists is the management of early pregnancy loss. Often the awareness is made at a routine scan when the fetal heart is not seen to be beating. Sometimes this is preceded…
Last week I saw a patient who had a very severe uterine and vaginal prolapse. She needed to have a vaginal hysterectomy and a pelvic floor repair. Of course, this came as a huge shock to her. As I always…
One of the most common problems we face as gynaecologists on a daily basis is the very personal and often embarrassing issue of painful intercourse. By the time a woman comes to see us things are pretty bad. Often they…
From time to time I give the local General Practitioners a question and answer session where we spend a few hours discussing problems that they may come across in their day to day work. It is always fascinating to see…