This cannot be further from the truth!!! Going to a gynaecologist should be something all women do routinely throughout their lives starting at 13 – 15 years of age. Gynaecologists offer many resources including birth control, cancer screenings, and family planning options. Plus, your annual gynaecology appointment is a great time to discuss any concerns you may have about your body, your sexual health and future fertility.

A gynaecological assessment can still be performed on your period but its advised to contact the doctor’s office to discuss the best way forward as the ease of examination will depend on how heavy your bleeding is, your degree of pain, your comfort level and other factors such as where you are in your cycle and the reason for the visit.

Many sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhoea, chlamydia and HPV have no symptoms. There are even fewer symptoms in males and often when they are symptomatic it’s at an advanced stage. If you are having unprotected sex, its best to have regular gynaecological assessments and get tested for STI- to avoid the long term consequences such as infertility and pelvic infection if left untreated.

Many individuals are under the impression that a pap smear screens for sexually transmitted infections but that is not the case. While a pap smear may detect some STI's, its main function is to detect the presence of abnormal cells which if left untreated can result in cervical cancer. Our only defence mechanism against cervical cancer is annual screening and removal of cells at its early stages. Majority of patients diagnosed with cervical cancer have never had a pap smear in their lives.

The HPV vaccine helps to prevent certain strains of the virus but it does not protect against all strains, particularly to South Africa, it covers only 4 high risk strains. Therefore, it cannot prevent all cases of cervical cancer. And it is worth noting that it is still possible to get HPV despite getting the vaccination. So while getting them is important, vaccines are not always 100% effective. It is crucial to continue getting screened for cervical cancer even if you’ve been vaccinated.

Some mild discomfort maybe normal but pain that stops you from performing normal activity or debilitating in nature is not. If your pain is so severe that you require pain medication to relieve the pain it’s time for a pelvic assessment to rule out the underlying cause most important being, endometriosis and fibroids.

Contraception only inhibits fertility while you are using it, and once you stops the pill or remove your IUCD your fertility for the long term should not be affected. Remember you can fall pregnant as soon as 6 weeks after stopping contraception so you need to be prepared for such.

No matter how old you are, the number of children you have or the lack of fertility desire, it is essential to see a gynaecologist at least every 18-24 months. It’s important to continue screening for cervical, breast and ovarian cancer.

The menopausal period is a crucial stage in every woman’s life and is often neglected by the patient and doctor. There is a great deal of changes occurring to a woman’s body at this point including an increased risk of heart attacks, osteoporosis and vaginal/ bladder infections all of which is easily managed with advice, non-hormonal and hormonal treatment.

Infertility is a common problem experienced by most couples, with the cause been equal between both partners i.e 50% female factors and 50% male factors with a small entity being unknown factors. Therefore it is essential to have your partner present.