Endometriosis is a condition where tissue, like the endometrium (name of the tissue that lines your uterus) grows in other parts of the body. Usually these growths occur inside the pelvic cavity in places such as the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder, vagina etc. Symptoms Painful periods Heavy menstrual bleeding Pain during intercourse Painful bowel motions or urination Bloating Back pain Fatigue Infertility Treatment Medications to control pain and inflammation Hormonal therapies Surgical treatment – usually excision of endometriosis Fertility treatment Management of chronic pain

These are benign (non-cancerous) growths / tumors of the uterus. Symptoms vary depending on their size and location in the uterus. Symptoms Heavy menstrual bleeding Pelvic pain and pressure Dysmenorrhoea Dysfunctional uterine bleeding Low fertility or infertility Fatigue if iron stores are low Constipation Frequent urination or urgency Treatment Surgical treatment in the form of: Myomectomy – the removal of fibroids while keeping your uterus. This can be done hysteroscopically, laparoscopically or abdominally (laparotomy) Hysterectomy – removal of whole uterus

An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac or pouch in the ovary. In most cases, the cyst grows as a result of ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary), and it will usually shrink over time. Sometimes, the ovarian cyst may cause pain. The best way to check for an ovarian cyst is by ultrasound examination, and the treatment will depend on how troublesome the symptoms are. Sometimes it is best to leave the cyst alone and just check it regularly with ultrasound. In other cases it may need to be removed by laparoscopic surgery.

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can cause you to have a variety of symptoms including no periods or irregular periods, increased hair growth on the face and body, acne (pimples) and increased body weight. PCOS is also one of the main causes of infertility in women. The ovaries of women with PCOS often contain many small cysts (fluid-filled sacs). Treatment Lifestyle changes: Maintain optimal body weight, regular exercise, smoking cessation Medications: Birth Control pill to regulate periods, Spironolactone to control blood pressure, anti-diabetes drugs, intra-uterine hormones Fertility Treatment: For women trying to get pregnant, ovulation induction medication may be required Counselling

Heavy menstrual bleeding is a common condition affecting one in five women. The diagnosis is made on the basis of following symptoms: Symptoms Unusual increase in menstrual blood loss Menstrual bleeding longer than 7 days Frequent flooding or blood loss not contained by pads or tampons Increase in number of times you have change pads or tampons (more than every 4 hours or more than once during night) Passing blood clots wider than 3cm Iron deficiency or anaemia Causes Fibroids Adenomyosis Polyps Endometrial Hyperplasia Hormonal Imbalance Treatment Hormone Treatment including Mirena Tranexamic Acid Uterine Ablation Hysterectomy

Many women experience feelings of tension, anger, fatigue and depression just before and during the first days of their menstrual period. This is called premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and is probably caused by the change in hormone levels. In most women with PMS, symptoms will not be severe enough to require treatment, but some will need to discuss their symptoms with a doctor. Sometimes symptoms can be improved by avoiding some types of food, such as coffee and foods high in salt.

Cervical dysplasia is the growth of abnormal cells around the cervix (entrance to the uterus). Although this condition is not cancer there is a small risk that these cells could become cancerous. Sometimes no treatment is needed as the condition may improve by itself. For more severe dysplasia, treatment involves removing the abnormal cells by freezing, laser therapy (a tiny beam of light) or electrical burning. Whether you have treatment or not, you should have more frequent Pap smears in the future.

A colposcopy is a detailed examination of the cervix (entrance to the uterus) with a specially lit microscope (colposcope). As with a Pap smear, an instrument called a speculum is inserted into the vagina, and then the colposcope is positioned outside the vagina with its light directed on the cervix. A specialist will perform a colposcopy if your Pap smear has shown abnormal or cancerous cells on the cervix. During the colposcopy further samples of tissue (biopsies) are usually removed and examined in the laboratory so the doctor can get a clearer idea of the extent of the abnormal cells.

This is an operation where the cervix (entrance to the uterus) is dilated and a hysteroscope (small lighted mini telescope) is inserted into the uterus through the vagina and cervix so the specialist can see the inside of the uterus. If no cancer is present, a small spoon-like instrument with a long handle, called a curette, is inserted and the lining of the uterus is scraped off and sent to the laboratory for examination. This procedure can be done under a general (you are asleep) or local (you are awake but the area being investigated is numb) anaesthetic.

The most common vaginal infections are yeast infections (also called candidiasis or thrush), trichomoniasis, or bacterial infections (also called bacterial vaginosis). Symptoms of an infection may include irritation, itching, discharge and odour. To make a diagnosis a doctor will usually do a vaginal swab, which involves wiping a type of cotton bud gently across the infected area. The swab is then sent to the laboratory for analysis. There are many medicines that can successfully treat these infections.

Menopause is also called the “change of life” and is the time when your periods will become irregular and stop. This is a natural process in all women and for most it will occur between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Menopause is brought on by decreasing levels of the hormone oestrogen and this can cause a variety of symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, sleeping problems, memory problems, depression and vaginal dryness. Some women do not notice any symptoms or they are very mild, whereas others experience more severe problems and should go to their doctor for advice. There are many treatments available to reduce the symptoms associated with menopause and, in some cases, lifestyle changes can also help.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is when female hormones (oestrogen by itself or with progesterone) are given to a woman during or after menopause when the production of oestrogen by the ovaries declines. The hormones can be taken as tablets, implants or skin patches. HRT has become less popular in recent years because a large study in the USA found that long-term use of HRT can increase the risk of some serious diseases, such as breast cancer and blood clots. However, for some women, short-term use of HRT (no more than 3–4 years) can provide relief from symptoms caused by having less oestrogen in their bodies, such as hot flushes and loss of bone density. The risks and benefits of HRT should be thoroughly discussed with a doctor before treatment begins.

A condition wherein a person leaks urine involuntarily. This can happen if a woman sneezes, coughs, laughs or performs any activity that can put pressure on the bladder. Types of Incontinence Stress Urinary Incontinence: This happens when there is leakage caused by an increase in abdominal pressure. Activities that lead to this are coughing, sneezing, heavy lifting etc. Urge Incontinence: Also called an “overactive bladder”, this is the uncontrolled loss of urine accompanied by the strong desire to pass urine. Most of the time the cause of this condition is unknown; however, sometimes it can happen when the bladder gets irritated due to an infection or when the detrusor muscle should be relaxed but it contracts instead Mixed Incontinence: The combination of Stress Urinary Incontinence and Urge Incontinence Overflow Incontinence: This happens when the bladder becomes overfull due to incomplete emptying Treatment Lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, smoking cessation, avoiding getting constipated and drinking enough water or other fluids during the day Pelvic floor exercises Surgical treatment

If the uterus, bladder, vagina or bowel slips out of position, this is referred to as a prolapse. It is caused when the supporting ligaments and fascia become weak, allowing one or more of the organs to drop. Symptoms Women with minor degree of prolapse have little to no symptoms Lump in or outside the vagina Heavy, dragging feeling Urinary Symptoms such as frequency and incomplete bladder emptying Issues with intercourse Bowel problems like difficulty moving or incomplete emptying Treatment No treatment required for some Pessary Surgery – usually requires repair of damaged fascia and ligaments Note: We DO NOT use MESH for repair of prolapse

A hysterectomy is an operation to remove your uterus (womb). Some types of hysterectomies include the removal of other organs as well, and this will depend on the reason for the operation. A hysterectomy is a treatment for many different diseases and conditions and it can be done through the vagina or through a cut in the abdomen.

An oophorectomy is an operation to remove one or both ovaries. It is done for many reasons including ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts or to remove the source of the hormone oestrogen that is produced by the ovaries and can stimulate some cancers. If both ovaries are removed, your periods will stop and you will not be able to have children. Sometimes an oophorectomy is done together with a hysterectomy.