Women’s Health
Women’s Health
Cervical smears
Free cervical cancer screening is available to all our enrolled patients.
The smear test looks for abnormal changes to the cells of the neck of your uterus (cervix). It’s important to find abnormal cells early so you can be given treatment before the cells develop into cancer.
We encourage all women aged 25–69 years to have a cervical screening test every three years if the initial smear results are normal.
If you are aged 25 or over and you are or have been sexually active and haven’t had a cervical smear in the last three years, talk to your nurse or GP at any of our clinics.
What is a cervical smear?
Having a smear test only takes a few minutes and you can ask that it be done by a female nurse or doctor. Some women find it uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt.
A few cells are collected from your cervix using a spatula (a thin, flat wooden instrument) and put into a solution for testing in the laboratory. The cells are put under a microscope to see if there is anything abnormal. If there is, your clinic will let you know the next steps.
When phoning for an appointment, let our receptionists know that this is what you require, and they will make an appointment with someone that suits you.
Breast screening
If you are concerned about any changes to your breasts, please come to see a doctor or nurse at one of our GP clinics. We can help you will a number of breast problems, like mastitis or pain, and refer you to a specialist if needed.
We also encourage women to have regular breast screening tests, which are used to find breast cancer early so that treatment can start and increase the chance of a full recovery. One in nine women in New Zealand get breast cancer.
BreastScreen Aotearoa is a national breast screening programme offering a free screening mammogram every two years for women who:
- are aged 45‒69 years
- have no symptoms of breast cancer
- have not had a mammogram in the last 12 months
- are not pregnant or breastfeeding
- are eligible for public health services in New Zealand.
You can read all about the programme, risks and benefits and how to register on the Time to Screen website. Or phone BreastScreen Aotearoa on 0800 270 200.
Pregnancy Care
We can give advice and care at every stage of your pregnancy. This includes when you are trying to get pregnant, or if you are having difficulty getting pregnant.
Every woman having a baby needs to nominate a health professional who will help them through their pregnancy. We provide information about how to choose a LMC to every pregnant woman enrolled with us.
