HEALTHCARE

Get To Know Your Gynae

With International Women’s Day in March, it’s the perfect time to shine a spotlight on women’s health and some common conditions that many women will be affected by at some point during their life.

1. Let’s Start With Fibroids

Fibroids are incredibly common benign growths that develop in the womb. They are made of muscle and tissue, can vary in size, and can grow anywhere within the uterus. Around 2 in 3 women will develop at least one fibroid during their lifetime, though they are more prevalent in women aged 30-50.

Many women won’t have any symptoms and it’s very common to find a fibroid during an ultrasound scan which a patient didn’t know about.

When women do have symptoms, these will be influenced by the location, size and number of fibroids. The main, and most common, symptom is heavy periods, but women could also experience painful periods, a feeling of pressure in their tummy, spotting between periods, a frequent need to pee, backache, and leg pain.

2. Moving Onto Ovarian Cysts

Again, ovarian cysts are very common. The vast majority of these are called ‘functional’, which means they develop as part of the usual menstrual cycle, and therefore won’t occur after the menopause. Most of the time, these cysts will disappear on their own within 6 – 12 weeks. They are not dangerous and are absolutely fine to have.

Sometimes, a cyst can bleed or rupture, which can be very painful. Most of the time, this pain will be short-lived and can be managed with painkillers. However, if the pain is intense or doesn’t go away, it’s best to see a doctor and have a scan straight away.

Another type of cyst is called ‘pathological’, and this is more likely to become nasty. These are more common after the menopause, but can happen at any age. Thankfully, they’re not that common, but it’s still very important to have a check-up and see a gynaecologist for advice if you have any symptoms or are worried. Symptoms can include bleeding or spotting, needing to pee often, pain, and a swollen tummy.

Another type of cyst (and the strangest!) is called a dermoid cyst. These are more common in younger women and can be filled with all sorts of funny things, such as hair, teeth, or sebum (oil that’s found in the skin). These cysts will often develop over a period of years and grow over time. The risk with dermoid cysts is that they can twist, particularly when they grow to a larger size.

When a cyst twists the ovary on itself (ovarian torsion) this can cause sudden, sharp pain, nausea and vomiting. This is an emergency and will require keyhole surgery.

3. What Is PCOS?

PCOS is a common condition that affects how a woman’s ovaries work.

The 3 main features of PCOS are:

1. Irregular periods

2. Hormone imbalances in your body

3. Polycystic ovaries – ovaries which contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs.

PCOS can make it harder to get pregnant, cause weight gain and acne, lead to excessive hair growth – usually on the face, chest, back or bum, as well as hair loss from the head.

PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. The good news is that it’s very treatable, and can be managed with both lifestyle changes and a medical management plan.

Did You Know?

Waiting times for gynaecology care have trebled in the past decade, with more than 540,000 women in the UK facing extremely long waits for gynaecology care.*

Over this time, the average waiting time to see a gynaecologist has also increased, with many women waiting almost five months (18 weeks) for an appointment.

Gynaecological issues can cause extremely distressing symptoms. Waiting months for help, often not knowing what’s wrong, only adds unnecessary stress and suffering.

*as of October 2022

Help Is At Hand

No matter where you are in your health journey; whether you’re looking to have a routine check-up or have a diagnosed condition that needs treating, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital’s Gynaecology Clinic can help. Their compassionate consultants are all experts in their field and available to help without a wait.

If you are experiencing any symptoms or would like some advice, call their friendly team on 020 7806 4098

Find out more: www.hje.org.uk/gynaecology

A Hospital With A Heart

Founded in 1856, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable hospitals. All treatments in the hospital help fund the onsite St John’s Hospice, which provides free care to over 4,500 people and their families each year, across seven boroughs.

Thanks to Mr Yinka Akinfenwa, Ms Sasha Maitra and Mr Joseph Aquilina, Consultant Gynaecologists who practice at St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, for sharing their expert knowledge.

St John & St Elizabeth Hospital, 60 Grove End Road, London, NW8 9NH