About our general gynaecology services
As a woman, you need to care for your gynaecological health, no matter what your age. This involves knowledge about normal gynaecological health and when to see your doctor about problems.
Regular check-ups, pap smears, choosing the right contraceptive, and safe sex practices are all part of being a confident and healthy woman. Our specialist staff can support you in making the right choices for your body.
We guide you to the right health information to help you understand how your body works and how a procedure or disease, may affect you.
While nothing replaces a conversation with your doctor, midwife or nurse, reading and viewing reliable health information could support your conversations and decisions.
Gynaecological surgery
Some gynaecological conditions may need surgery, your doctor may suggest you need:
- repair of your uterus, pelvic floor or other reproductive organs.
- removal or your uterus or ovaries.
In this situation you may want to know why you need surgery, what will happen during surgery and what to expect while you recover.
Talking with your GP and gynaecologist can help you prepare for planned surgery, including:
- going to hospital
- pain relief
- bleeding after surgery
- the future function of your body.
The following factsheets provide information related to general and specific information relating to different gynaecological surgical procedures.
Factsheets
- Gynaecological ward (Westmead Hospital) patient information factsheet (PDF 130.18KB)
- What to expect when having gynaecological surgery factsheet (PDF 319.88KB)
- Managing your pain after surgery factsheet (PDF 371.63KB)
- Preventing blood clots (Deep Vein Thrombosis) factsheet (PDF 340.85KB)
- Discharge from hospital after laser surgery to the vulva factsheet (PDF 4.81MB)
A hysterectomy is a major surgery where your uterus (womb) is removed.
Factsheets
A hysteroscopy is a procedure that uses a small camera to look inside your uterus (womb) to diagnose or treat problems with your uterus.
Factsheets
A laparoscopy is a type of keyhole surgery. If you have keyhole surgery your surgeon uses only small incisions (cuts) to get through the skin and other tissues.
Factsheets
The wire loop excision (LLETZ or LEEP) is a minor procedure, which uses a thin wire loop heated with electricity to remove the abnormal cells from the cervix. After this, the cervix usually grows healthy normal skin where the abnormal cells have been.
Factsheets
Menopause
Menopause is that time of your life when you no longer have menstrual periods. We say you are post-menopausal when you have not had a period for 12 months. This usually happens between the ages of 48 - 55 years.
Many women find that in the 5 or so years leading up to the menopause their menstrual cycle becomes irregular, they may also experience hot flushes, night sweats and difficulty sleeping.
This time of change is called perimenopause. The symptoms vary from none at all to muscular aches and pains, tiredness, mood changes and problems with concentration.
Some women feel saddened by these changes, but many find it is a positive time in their lives when they no longer have to worry about periods and contraception.
There are many non-medical ways you can relieve the discomforts experienced during the peri-menopausal and menopausal time. Visiting your GP to discuss management of your menopause is a helpful place to start.
For more support
- learn about menopause services in NSW
- listen to the It might be menopause podcast to unpack common questions
- use the perimenopause and menopause toolkit
- read the post-menopausal bleeding factsheet (PDF 325.03KB).
Cervical screening
Screening for cervical cancer changed in 2017 from the pap test to a cervical screening test that checks for HPV (Human Papilloma Virus).
HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that causes over 99% of cervical cancers. This test is recommended for all women between the ages of 25 and 74 who have ever had sex even if they have been given the HPV vaccine.
If your HPV screening test is negative, you will need to have it repeated in 5 years. The combination of HPV vaccination and the national screening program has greatly reduced the risk of cervical cancer.
A small number of women may have a positive HPV test and changes on a subsequent pap test (these are pre-cancerous changes, meaning they happen before cancer starts).
Cancer of the cervix can take over 10 years to develop from a few abnormal cells (pre-cancer) to something serious, giving us plenty of time to prevent cancer. In many cases, a woman’s body takes care of the minor abnormal cells so that they go away by themselves.
However, sometimes treatment of abnormal cells is needed with a procedure called a LLETZ, this is a small procedure that can often be done in the clinic.
Our factsheets provide information about follow up and treatment. The factsheets and links should be read in combination with discussions with your health care professional.
- Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone (LLETZ) factsheet (PDF 739.8KB) (PDF 739.8KB)
- Colposcopy factsheet (PDF 500.09KB)
- Cone biopsy of the cervix factsheet (PDF 513.05KB)
- National Cervical Screening Program
- Self-collection for the Cervical Screening Test
- What happens when my healthcare provider collects my sample?
- How to collect your own vaginal sample for a cervical screening test
- How to take your own cervical screening sample(multi-language resource)
Period problems and pelvic pain
Period problems are common for many girls and women, and can include:
- heavy bleeding
- missing periods
- spotting between periods
- irregular cycles.
Many of these problems occur only once or twice and then settle, while others may last longer or get worse over time. Sometimes it can interfere with a woman's usual activities.
The good news is that period problems are often quite easy to manage, although further investigations and even surgery may occasionally be needed.
Pelvic pain is also quite common and mostly happens during periods. However, some women also experience pain in between their periods or with sexual intercourse.
Sometimes the cause of the problem is obvious; however, as there are many organs and tissues located in the pelvis (lower tummy area) near the gynaecological organs (uterus, vagina, ovaries, tubes), finding out what is causing your pain may require further tests.
Once the cause of your pain is worked out, treatment choices can be offered, and you and your doctor can decide on the best management approach for you.
The factsheets should be read in combination with discussions with your health care professional.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are a common cause of period problems; however, they do not always need surgical treatment and can often be managed with medication.
Factsheets
Vaginal and vulval concerns
Women may have concerns about what is normal 'down there'. The vagina connects the outside world to the cervix (neck of the womb).
The cervix and vagina form the passage through which you bleed when you have a period and where the baby passes during birth. The vulva is the name given to the external genitalia at the opening of the vagina.
There is no specific way your vulva should look, like any part of the body, there are variations in colour, size and shape.
Factsheets
NSW Education Program on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
Learn more about our statewide education program on FGM/C that is working to prevent the practice and minimise the impacts for affected women, girls and their families.
Contraception
Contraception means stopping yourself from getting pregnant. Choosing your contraception is very important and what is best for you, and your partner, may vary throughout different stages of your lifetime.
Westmead Hospital has an outpatient contraception advice clinic. Please contact the clinic on (02) 8890 6508. No referral is necessary.
The fact sheets and links provided here will help you make the decision about which contraceptive option is right for you.
Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs)
The term STI is used to describe infections that are usually spread through sexual contact. STIs are common and most, but not all, are easy to treat.
Some STIs cause obvious symptoms like pain or discharge, while others may have no symptoms so that people don’t realise, they have an infection unless they have a test to check for it.
Common sexually transmitted infections include:
- chlamydia
- genital herpes and genital warts
Less common infections include:
- gonorrhoea
- trichomoniasis
- syphilis
- hepatitis B
- HIV.
Learn more about sexually transmissible infections on the NSW Health and Family Planning NSW websites.
We are a free, confidential public sexual health service. We have two sexual health clinics, located in Paramatta and Mount Druitt.
Our specialist sexual health team offer testing, support, treatment and management of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) for:
- people with STI-related symptoms
- people who had sexual contact with someone with HIV or STI
- people living with HIV / AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
- people who inject drugs
- gay and other men who have sex with men
- trans and gender diverse people
- sex workers
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Our services are free and confidential. No Medicare card is required.
STI and HIV testing
For testing options or questions about STIs, HIV and sexual health call NSW Sexual Health Infolink on 1800 451 624.
You can also get STI or HIV testing from a general practitioner (GP).
GPs also provide Cervical Screening Test (previously known as pap smears), contraception, PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) and other sexual health related services.
Paramatta Clinic
| Address | Jeffery House, Level 1, 162 Marsden Street, Parramatta NSW 2150 |
| Phone | (02) 9843 3124 |
| Fax | (02) 8836 2933 |
| Opening hours | Monday 9am to 5pm Tuesday 9am to 5pm Wednesday 1pm to 5pm Thursday 4pm to 7:30pm Friday 9am to 4pm |
Mt Druitt Clinic
| Address | Kelly Close (back of Community Health building), Mount Druitt NSW 2770 |
| Phone | (02) 9881 1206 |
| Fax | (02) 8836 2933 |
| Opening hours | Friday 9am to 4pm |
Make an appointment
Please call our clinics during opening hours to make an appointment or ask any questions. The phone line will be closed from 4pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
- If needed, we can arrange a telephone interpreter for you.
- We operate on an appointment-based system. Please call us to make an appointment.
- If you attend the clinic without an appointment, we may not be able to see you on the day unless it is an urgent matter.
- Please note for our Parramatta clinic, the last appointment time on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday is 5pm. The building entrance will be closed after 5pm on those days.
- If you are having trouble reaching us, please email your name and phone number and the reason for your call to WSLHD-WSSHC@health.nsw.gov.au
Appointment reminder update
You'll get a text 7 days before your appointment asking to confirm or cancel. Reply with Y to confirm or N to cancel. Please respond within 48 hours.
Pelvic floor disorders (urogynaecology)
Urogynaecology is a specialised field of medicine in gynaecology and obstetrics that focuses on the treatment of female pelvic floor disorders, including:
- urinary incontinence (leakage)
- pelvic organ prolapse
- bladder pain
- other pelvic floor disorders.
Our Pelvic Floor Unit provides specialist care to women experiencing problems with their pelvic floor. Learn more about the Pelvic Floor Unit and Urogynaecology in Western Sydney.
Find a gynaecology service
Use our Service Directory to find a health service near you.