Public Service

Counties Manukau Health Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Counties Manukau Health

Hours

Elective gynaecology clinics including colposcopy and urodynamics are provided on a "9 to 5 basis" at both the Manukau SuperClinic™ and at the Botany SuperClinic™.

If you have an emergency, see your doctor first if possible. If necessary, they can arrange for you to be seen at Middlemore Hospital. There is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week emergency gynaecology service at Middlemore Hospital.

Description

What is Obstetrics?
Obstetrics is the area of medicine concerned with the treatment of women during pregnancy (antenatal), labour and delivery, and the time after childbirth (postnatal). Once pregnancy has been confirmed, regular antenatal checks should be performed by a midwife, GP or obstetrician (doctor who is specialised in obstetrics). In the first 28 weeks, these checks will be done every month but will increase as the pregnancy progresses.

What is Gynaecology?
Gynaecology is the area of medicine that deals with health issues and conditions that are specific to women's reproductive organs and genitalia, excluding breast disease. The reproductive organs consist of: the ovaries that release an egg every month, the fallopian tubes that lead from the ovaries to the uterus (womb) which is where a baby will grow if the egg is fertilised during sexual intercourse, the cervix (opening of the uterus), the vagina and vulva.

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Services Provided by Counties Manukau Health
Counties Manukau Health Obstetrices & Gynaecology services are located at Middlemore Hospital, Manukau SuperClinic™ and Botany SuperClinic™.

Referral Expectations

Your GP will need to complete some examinations and tests before you are referred to the clinic (except in emergency situations). All patients require a history to have been taken and examination, including pelvic (internal), performed. If a smear test has not been performed recently and is due, this needs to have been completed by the GP prior to you being seen in the hospital. Blood tests may also be required depending on which type of problem you have.

When a referral is received, a specialist will grade it to ensure that people with serious or life-threatening conditions are seen soon. Sometimes, if there is not enough information to make this decision, the referral will be sent back to the GP with a request for more information.

Once grading has been completed the urgent cases are allocated a clinic time and the patient is notified. When demand for services is high, all patients cannot be seen as there is inadequate resource to do so. When this happens some patients will not be offered an appointment and they will be notified, along with their GP. The GP may have been given advice about further treatment with his notification. If your symptoms change or worsen then your GP can re-refer you.

What other options do you have if surgery is not available in the public system?

If your surgery has been declined due to lack of resource there are some other options:

other ways of treating your condition - these can be discussed with the specialist or with your GP
waiting for symptoms to worsen at which time your GP can re-refer you to the hospital
seeking a private option for your surgery. The information about health providers in the private sector is included on this Healthpoint website.

Common Conditions / Procedures / Treatments

Amniocentesis

This is a procedure used to evaluate the health of your unborn baby and identify any problems that may exist.… More
Bladder Sling Procedures

Sling procedures are common surgical operations to stop stress incontinence.… More
Caesarean Section

A caesarean section is the name of the operation done to deliver a baby through a cut in your stomach and uterus (womb).… More
Cervical Dysplasia

Cervical dysplasia is the growth of abnormal cells around the cervix (entrance to the uterus).… More
Chorionic Villus Sampling

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is used to test for genetic disorders, such as Down’s syndrome, and involves taking a small sample of the chorionic villi, which are the tiny units that make up the placenta.… More
Colposcopy - Examination of the neck of the womb with a microscope.

A colposcopy is a detailed examination of the cervix (entrance to the uterus) with a specially lit microscope (colposcope).… More
Endometrial Ablation

The endometrium is the lining of your uterus (womb). Endometrial ablation is the surgical removal or destruction of this lining.… More
Endometriosis

The endometrium is the name of the tissue that lines your uterus (womb).… More
Epidural

An epidural is a type of anaesthetic (medication that stops pain and feeling) that makes your lower body numb without putting you to sleep.… More
Fetal Distress

A fetus is the name given to an unborn baby after the eighth week of pregnancy until birth.… More
Fibroids

Fibroids are noncancerous growths or tumours on the muscular part of the uterus (womb); sometimes they are also called myomas.… More
Gestational Diabetes

Gestation is the length of a pregnancy from conception to birth (usually 40 weeks in humans).… More
Gynaecological Cancer

Gynaecological cancer refers to cancer anywhere in a woman’s reproductive system or genital area.… More
HIV Testing in Pregnancy

Click here for more details about HIV testing in pregnancy. More
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is when female hormones (oestrogen by itself or with progesterone) are given to a woman during or after menopause when the production of oestrogen by the ovaries declines.… More
Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is an operation to remove your uterus (womb).… More
Hysteroscopy and Dilatation and Curettage (D&C)

This is an operation where the cervix (entrance to the uterus) is dilated and a hysteroscope (small lighted mini telescope) is inserted into the uterus through the vagina and cervix so the specialist can see the inside of the uterus.… More
Induction of Labour

Induction of labour is the process of starting labour artificially.… More
Infertility

About one in every six couples in New Zealand will experience infertility.… More
Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)

In a very small number of pregnancies, the baby may not grow as well as in a normal pregnancy.… More
In Vitro Fertilisation

This is the process of fertilising the woman’s egg with the male’s sperm outside of the woman’s body in the laboratory.… More
Laparoscopy

Many gynaecological investigations are performed by laparoscopy. This is a procedure to view the inside of the abdomen (tummy) through a specially lit type of mini telescope (laparoscope) that is inserted through a small cut in the abdomen.… More
Menopause

Menopause is also called the “change of life” and is the time when your periods will become irregular and stop.… More
Menstrual Problems

Menstruation is the medical name for your monthly period. This is when blood and tissue from the lining of the uterus (womb) is shed through the vagina and out of the body.… More
Obstetric Ultrasound

Ultrasound imaging, also called ultrasound scanning, is a method of obtaining pictures from inside the human body through the use of high frequency sound waves.… More
Oophorectomy

An oophorectomy is an operation to remove one or both ovaries.… More
Ovarian Cysts

An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac or pouch in the ovary. In most cases, the cyst grows as a result of ovulation (when the egg is released from the ovary), and it will usually shrink over time.… More
Pap Smear

A Pap smear is a test to check for signs of cancer on the cervix (entrance to the uterus).… More
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that can cause you to have a variety of symptoms, including no periods or irregular periods, increased hair growth on the face and body, acne (pimples) and increased bodyweight.… More
Postpartum Depression

The postpartum (also called postnatal) period is the time after the birth of a baby.… More
Premature Baby

A premature baby is one that is born before 37 weeks’ gestation (the length of a pregnancy from conception to birth).… More
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Many women experience feelings of tension, anger, fatigue and depression just before and during the first days of their menstrual period.… More
Toxaemia of Pregnancy (pre-eclampsia)

Toxaemia of pregnancy or pre-eclampsia is a condition that occurs in some women during the second half of pregnancy.… More
Tubal Ligation

A tubal ligation is permanent sterilisation for women with a completed family.… More
Urinary Incontinence

A person with urinary incontinence is unable to control the release of urine from their bladder.… More
Uterine or Bladder Prolapse

If the uterus (womb) or bladder slips out of position, this is referred to as a prolapse.… More
Vaginal Infections

The most common vaginal infections are yeast infections (also called candidiasis or thrush), trichomoniasis, or bacterial infections (also called bacterial vaginosis).… More

Charges

There are no charges for services to public patients if you are lawfully in New Zealand and meet one of the Eligibility Directions specified criteria set by the Ministry of Health. If you do not meet the criteria, you will be required to pay for the full costs of any medical treatment you receive during your stay.

Patients requiring Mirena may in some cases be expected to fund this if they do not meet national guidelines for their free provision. Some medicines will require a small fee.

To check whether you meet the specified eligibility criteria, visit the Ministry of Health website.

For any applicable charges, please phone the Accounts Receivable Office on (09) 276 0060.