Women's Health

No matter what age you are, if you are a woman you have some special care needs. Your clinical team can help you with contraceptive advice, sexual health care, cervical (pap) smears and breast checks, pregnancy planning, pregnancy and postnatal care, counselling, lifestyle health support, incontinence, management of menopause, skin checks and identification and management of osteoporosis.

It can be hard to find time to look after yourself if you are busy with work, family and social commitments. But there are some things you can do to keep your health and risk factors for illness and disease in check...

• If you are aged between 20 and 70 it is highly recommeded to have a cervical smear at the recommended intervals (currently this is ervey 5 years) even if you have had the HPV vaccination
• Be familiar with your skin so that you can easily identify anything unusual, like a new spot or changes in an old spot
• Be familiar with your breasts so that you can easily identify any new lumps
• Reflect on your lifestyle habits, such as your nutrition, physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption
• Reflect on your mental health, especially if you are, or are about to become, a new mother

If you have concerns about any of these you should make an appointment to see your GP. Your GP can also review your risk factors for heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.