Women’s health issues are deeply personal, and often complex.
Many times, there are issues that cannot be addressed by your regular health practitioner alone, and more focused care is needed.
Our dedicated Women’s Health team is highly-trained and qualified, delivering the highest quality care in all aspects of women’s health in a safe, modern, nurturing environment.
Compassionate, open-minded and non-judgemental, our Women’s Health team offers preventative, proactive treatment plans for all aspects of women’s health. Our Women’s Health team works collaboratively with other health practitioners including patient’s regular GP or healthcare provider, pelvic floor physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, obstetricians, gynaecologists and perinatal psychologists.
First Light Healthcare’s Women’s Health Clinic
offers assistance with:
• Incontinence, prolapse and pelvic floor health
• Sexual health including STI and contraception
• IUD insertion and removal
• Implanon insertion and removal
• Unplanned pregnancy counselling
• Menstrual health including heavy, irregular and abnomal bleeding
• Comprehensive antenatal and postnatal care / shared care
• Cervical health screening
• Breast checks
• Vulval and vaginal health including dryness, itching, discharge, pain with sex
• PCOS and Endometriosis
• Menopausal health
• Osteoporosis management
• Cardiovascular and heart health
• LGBTQI+ health
Women´s Health Services
Family planning including contraceptive implants
Our women’s health specialists can assist you with contraceptive options ranging from the Pill to IUDs and Implanon.
At First Light Healthcare you are able to discuss your needs and concerns in a safe, nurturing non-judgemental space.
Prenatal and postnatal care
Our prenatal appointments can assist you with advice and education regarding your changing body and the needs of your unborn baby.
We can also monitor essential health markers, such as your baby’s weight, or your blood sugar levels.
Our women’s health specialists also look to address any potential problems early on.
After the birth of your beautiful baby, postnatal care can help you manage both your health and that of your newborn.
We can also answer common questions about breastfeeding, mastitis, maternal nutrition, and issues around recovery from giving birth.
We aim to support you and your growing family in a nurturing, supportive way.
Eating disorders
At First Light Healthcare, we understand the complexity that surrounds disordered eating and work with you to tailor a solution specific to you.
We have a team of healthcare professionals including general practitioners, psychologists and dietitians with training and experience in treating disordered eating.
Perimenopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal health
Whether you’re at the beginning, middle or end of menopause, good advice and professional medical care can help you maximise your hormonal health as well as take care of other aspects of your wellbeing including heart health, bone density and mental health.
Our women’s health specialists can advise you on lifestyle factors as well as medical intervention to rebalance hormones and treat some of the common problems that arise at menopause.
We make it easy for you to talk to us about issues with mood, weight, or sex and to put a plan in place to stay healthy.
Cervical cancer screening
It is recommended that women between the ages of 25 and 74 have a cervical screening test every five years.
Our women’s health specialists have experience in making this process as quick and comfortable as possible.
Physiotherapy for pelvic floor
First Light Healthcare Women’s Health services includes Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy can assist clients of all ages with:
•Pelvic pain and endometriosis
•Pelvic organ prolapse including pessary fitting
•Urinary and faecal incontinence
•Prenatal pelvic floor risk assessment and post-natal recovery
•Gynaecological and breast cancer rehabilitation
•Mastitis treatment
•Gender reassignment rehabilitation
Questions and Answers
What does women’s health mean?
It means healthcare that is personalised to your biology, including hormonal health and female-specific health checks.
It also means knowing how chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, presents differently in women, or how some diseases, including auto-immune conditions, are more likely to affect women than men.
What is the most important issue in women’s health?
Awareness and funding. Women need to know how to best manage their health and what preventive checks and treatments are available.
There also needs to be more research into better health care for women, including advanced diagnostic tools and treatments for cancers of the breast and ovaries.
How can a women’s health team benefit me?
A women’s health team can combine their knowledge and experience to make sure that you receive the most up-to-date, comprehensive advice and treatment available.
At First Light Healthcare, our women’s health doctors are highly trained specialists who are continually updating their knowledge of female health matters.
What happens if I get an abnormal cervical screening result?
It’s normal to feel anxious about this but, generally, it simply involves additional tests and monitoring any changes in your cervix, mostly caused by the HPV virus.
Depending on the results on the tests, your doctor may suggest you have another cervical screening in a year, or a follow-up procedure called a colposcopy.
Most HPV infections clear on their own and most abnormal cells are not cervical cancer and can be treated quickly and painlessly.
I’m 40 years old and my mother had breast cancer. Should I have mammogram?
A: It is important to tell your doctor about any family history of breast cancer.
However, BreastScreen NSW advises that, while you can attend for a screening mammogram, this is less effective for women in your age group than for women who are 50 to 74.
First Light Healthcare’s Women’s Health Team can talk through any concerns with you.
I am menopausal and often depressed. Is this normal?
Women’s moods may be affected by hormonal changes, but this is never something you should simply put up with.
Talk to our women’s health specialists about what options are available to you to feel like yourself again.
I am a young mother and am having trouble getting to sleep.
Is it okay to take a sleeping pill? Will this affect my baby if I am breastfeeding?
While it is safe to take many medicines while breastfeeding, some can enter your breast milk and affect your baby.
You should always get advice from your doctor first, or let them know that you are breastfeeding before they write a prescription.
I’ve heard that women don’t have the same symptoms of heart attacks as men. I often get pain in my chest. Should I get some tests?
Australian women are more likely to die from heart disease than breast cancer but because they often develop symptoms later, and these are more vague, they may not mention them to their doctor.
Symptoms of heart disease in women can include dizziness, vomiting, chest discomfort or a burning sensation in the chest, fatigue, lightheadness and shortness of breath.
Of course, some of these are common in other conditions, but you should always mention any concerns to your doctor.
