Well Women

This page is aimed at certain aspects of Women's Health. There is, of course, a degree of overlap between what applies to men and women, and so please also see our General Heath Page, and the pages on Men's Health, Teenage Health and Children's Health.

Cervical Smears

It is a sad fact that there are still people who die from Cervical Cancer despite the fact that there is an excellent Screening Test to try and detect it early. The best way therefore to deal with Cervical Cancer is to detect it as soon as possible so that we are able to start appropriate treatment. It is currently recommended that all women aged from twenty to sixty years of age should have a Cervical Smear carried out every three years. We know that many people do not like to have Smears done - they sometimes find the whole thing somewhat embarrassing. We are now very lucky that the Nurses are able to carry out the Smears and we also have a Lady Doctor at each unit so that if people feel more comfortable that can choose who does the Smear for them.

At Healthcare, we run a Cervical Smear recall system. That means that we have a list each month of who is due a Cervical Smear. We also keep a list of all the people who are overdue to have a smear so that we can try and keep everyone up to date. If you are not sure when you had you last Cervical Smear, or when your next one is due, then please ring the Surgery and ask.

Healthcare Arrangements for Cervical Smears

When your name appears on the recall list, the staff will get in touch with you. This will usually be by telephone, and then they will be able to offer you an appointment. The Cervical Smear is best carried out in the middle of your cycle, and so it is best to make the appointment to coincide with this. Most people see the Nurse for their Smear to be done.

When you come in, you will asked a few routine questions about your cycle, when you last period was, have you had any problems like bleeding between periods etc. After this, the smear will be taken. We all accept that most people do not like having their smears done, but it only takes a few minutes and then it will be all over (hopefully for the next three years).

All the Cervical Smears are sent to the UK for analysis. The outcome of this is that the resultcan take up to three weeks to return to us. As soon as we have the result we will get in touch, so that you will know that the result is back, and if anything further needs to be done.

Most of the Smears that we do come back normal, and so people can then be recalled in three years time. It is fair to say that some smears come back with a recommendation on. This might be for some treatment (perhaps if they found some thrush or infection), it might be to have another smear carried out sooner than three years (if they have seen some minor changes in the smear) or they may suggest that you see a gynaecologist. Usually this is nothing to worry about, and is done to have a better look at the Cervix and perhaps to take a biopsy. If you smear comes back like this, please do not think that it means you have Cervical Cancer. Your doctor or the gynaecologist will be able to give you a full explanation, so that you will be aware of what is happening at all times.

If you do not wish to have a Cervical Smear we feel that it is important that you be aware that if you were to develop Cancer of the Cervix then it would not be detected until much later. As a result the treatment may not be so effective, and you may run the risk that the cancer has spread to other parts of your body before it can be stopped. As a result, if you do not wish to have routine Cervical Smears carried out, we will ask you to sign a disclaimer to say that you do not wish to be recalled and that you are aware of and accept the risks. We hope that you will see that it make good sense to have the Smears carried out and so we hope that we will not need to ask you to do this. If you have any questions or any other problems with this then please ask us. We would rather you asked more questions that decided not to have a smear.

Breast Self Examination (BSE)

All women are encouraged to check their breasts for lumps. This is best done when you are relaxed (perhaps in the bath) and should be done once a month. Some women find that there breasts are a little tender at the time of their period and so this is not a good time to check them. Also, some women find that their breasts can change slightly as they go through their monthly cycle, and so we normally suggest that you check them at the same time each cycle.

There are leaflets available in the surgery to help you with this. If you check your breasts regularly then you will get to know what they feel like when they are healthy, and then if there are any changes or any lumps appear, then you will hopefully notice them sooner rather than later. If you find anything suspicious, then please make an appointment to see the doctor. He/she will be able to check and see if any further tests or investigations are required.

X-Ray Breast Screening (Mammography)

Once you are 50 years old, you will be eligible to enter the Mammography Screening Programme. This is run by the Board of Health from the Brest Screening Unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. They will call you up and offer you a Mammogram (or an X-Ray of your breasts). This can help to detect Breast Cancer at an early stage, and so try and start the treatment as soon as possible. It is
important, however, that you do not stop examining yourself once you start to have mammograms. It is much better to do both. If you are not sure what you should be doing then please ask for more details.
 

Chlamydia

It would not be complete to have a section on Women's Health and not mention Chlamydia. The reason for this is that it can have a bad effect on your chances of getting pregnant if you have an infection that is not treated appropriately. We have therefore outlined the symptoms below, and if you think that you have had any of these then it is important to get yourself and your partner checked.

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