Before I became a doctor and started working at Main Road Medical Centre, I was a midwife and Dr Dobrila Bajic worked as a registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology. Along with Dr Laurens Schrama, we are all very passionate about women’s health. It’s always been a big part of our practice and having two female doctors on staff means we are able to assist women who prefer to talk to female doctors.
We live and work in an area with a fantastic mix of young families and older people, so we deal with a wide range of concerns in regard to women’s health. Older women face an increased risk of cancer and heart disease along with all the normal ageing issues. Younger women have to deal with both contraception and conception. It’s also important to be proactive in regard to sexually transmitted diseases, breast cancer and breast checking.
Fortunately, most of our female patients are happy to come in and discuss their concerns. I think women are better at talking to doctors about their health than men, which is a lovely broad generalisation!
Contraception and women’s health
Certainly young women who come to our practice are very straightforward about requesting contraception. Long gone are the days of embarrassment and shame about taking control of your sexual health and activity. They often use our discussions about contraception to bring up sexually transmitted diseases and any concerns they have in that regard. Many of them are interested in the different forms of contraception — not just the pill. We are always happy to discuss the various options and alternatives. We certainly supply and fit the contraceptive rod here, as do most general practices, and we are able to list all the pros and cons of that particular method.
There is a constant stream of new contraceptives on the market and we stay on top of of all the latest developments. Unfortunately, many contraceptive pills can be expensive but we are happy to advise on alternatives.
Pap tests
We go out of our way to make the dreaded Pap test as comfortable as possible. It’s an important procedure — a regular Pap test is a proven way to protect against cervical cancer. The whole process only takes a few minutes and the awkwardness of the test is over with quickly. We do our best to ensure you are comfortable and informed every step of the way.
We believe it’s important to have female doctors on staff for women to discuss any health issues. Whether it’s conception, fertility, Pap tests or antenatal information, we understand that some women just prefer to talk to a female doctor.
Our doctors are available to discuss any concerns you have about any aspect of women’s health. It’s fair to say that, quite literally, we have seen it all before!
Common issues associated with women’s health:
- Contraception
- Conception/fertility
- Breast cancer awareness
- Breast care and self-examination
- Menstruation
- Sexual issues
- STDs
- Urinary infections
- Incontinence
- Menopause
- Osteoporosis
See also: Skin care and skin cancer
