Resources

Chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pain, in general, means that pain has been present continuously for more than three months, despite treatment of what was thought to be the original cause of pain.

Chronic pelvic pain is different for every woman and may be felt anywhere below the stomach and into the pelvic area. The pain comes and goes, but remains in a certain area.

Endometriosis

The endometrium is the name for the cells that line your uterus (womb). These cells respond to hormones released from the ovary.

When pregnancy does not occur each month, the tissue comes away from the body with bleeding – this is known as the menstrual cycle.

Endometriosis occurs when these cells move to other parts of the body.

Endometrial ablation

Endometrial ablation is a surgical procedure that removes the inside layer (the endometrium) or lining of the uterus.

The endometrium is the part that sheds each month as a period (menstruation).

Heavy menstrual bleeding

Normal Periods – A woman normally loses between 30ml and 40ml of blood with her period each month but there is much variability. Bleeding can last up to eight days, but bleeding for five days is average.

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding– There are medical definitions of heavy menstrualbleeding, but the only practical definition is wherethere is excessive menstrual blood loss that interfereswith the physical, emotional, social and material qualityof life

Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy is an operation where the uterus (womb) is removed.

There are different types of hysterectomy, and during the operation other organs – such as the ovaries or fallopian tubes – might also be removed.

Hysteroscopy

A hysteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the inside of the uterus (womb)

It is carried out using a narrow telescope, called the hysteroscope, which is inserted through the cervix (opening of the womb) into the uterus. The hysteroscope is connected to a light source and camera, which sends images to a monitor so that your gynaecologist is able to see inside the uterus.

Laparoscopy

Laparoscopy is commonly called “keyhole surgery”. It is a procedure in which a surgical telescope and video camera is passed through a small cut “keyhole” into the abdomen, usually in the umbilicus (belly button)

Carbon dioxide gas is used to gently inflate your abdomen during laparoscopy to enable your gynaecologist to see your pelvic organs. This allows your gynaecologist to look at, and operate on the organs of the pelvis and abdomen.

Menopause

Menopause is often referred to as the “change of life” because it marks the end of a women’s reproductive life. Menopause literally means that a woman has had her last (or final) menstrual period.

Most women become menopausal between the ages of 45 and 60 with the average age for New Zealand women being 51 years.

Pelvic organ prolapse

The organs within a woman’s pelvis consist of the uterus (womb), vagina, bladder and bowel.

Normally they are held in place by a supportive hammock of muscles, ligaments and tissue that lie across your pelvis known as the pelvic floor. When this supporting tissue is weakened, it no longer holds these organs in the correct position, causing the pelvic organs to prolapse.

Stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is when you leak urine or wet yourself with activity.

Women with this condition leak urine when they laugh, cough, sneeze, exercise or do anything that puts pressure on their bladder. This is caused by a weakness in the structures that support the bladder neck and urethra, which means it cannot keep fully closed during exertion, allowing urine to escape.