Mid-Year Women’s Health Check Reminder

Your cycle can change across different life stages, including the teenage years, after pregnancy, during perimenopause and after changes in weight, stress, medication or health. It is worth seeing a gynaecologist if you notice:

• Heavier periods
• Longer bleeding
• Bleeding between periods
• Bleeding after sex
• Very painful periods
• Periods that suddenly stop
• Irregular bleeding
• Bleeding after menopause

Heavy bleeding can also lead to low iron, tiredness, dizziness, headaches or feeling short of breath. These symptoms can affect work, parenting, exercise and normal routines.

Bleeding after menopause should always be assessed. This means vaginal bleeding 12 months or more after your last period.

Pelvic pain is not something you should have to push through. Pain that affects work, relationships, sleep, sex, exercise or daily activities needs proper review. This includes:

• Ongoing pelvic pain
• Pain during or after sex
• Pain that worsens around your period
• Deep pelvic aching
• Pain with bowel movements
• Pain with urination
• Pelvic pressure or heaviness

Possible causes include endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, pelvic adhesions, pelvic floor dysfunction, bladder conditions and bowel concerns. Specialist assessment can help narrow down the cause and guide your treatment options.

Bladder and bowel symptoms can be linked to pelvic floor health, pelvic organ prolapse, menopause, childbirth history, surgery, endometriosis or other pelvic conditions. Symptoms that deserve review include:

• Urinary leakage
• Urgency
• Waking overnight to pass urine
• Trouble emptying the bladder
• Trouble emptying the bowel
• A dragging sensation
• A vaginal bulge
• Pelvic pressure by the end of the day

These concerns are common, but they are not something you need to silently manage with pads, planning and avoidance. Treatment options may include pelvic floor physiotherapy, lifestyle changes, pessary care, medications or surgery in selected cases.

A gynaecology appointment can be helpful before trying to conceive, after difficulty conceiving or when planning future pregnancy around known health concerns. Discussions with a specialist may include:

• Menstrual cycle patterns
• Ovulation
• Past surgery
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Ovarian cysts
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Pre-pregnancy health
• Fertility care

Pregnancy does not need to be an immediate plan for the conversation to take place. Understanding your reproductive health can help with future decisions.

Perimenopause and menopause can bring changes that affect sleep, mood, sex, work and daily comfort. Symptoms can start before periods stop completely. Common symptoms include:

• Irregular periods
• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Poor sleep
• Mood changes
• Brain fog
• Vaginal dryness
• Pain during sex
• Urinary symptoms

Support is available. Management may include lifestyle modifications, vaginal moisturisers or lubricants, menopausal hormone therapy, non-hormonal medications or referral to allied health, based on your symptoms and health history.