Public Service
The general gynaecology service provides care to women living in the Auckland DHB catchment of Central Auckland. National Women’s Health is also a major centre for Gynaecology Oncology, Urogynaecology and Fertility patients.
The service comprises:
District Services
Regional Services
Wards and Clinics in the Gynaecology Service
Inpatient Services – Ward 97, Auckland City Hospital
Gynaecology inpatients is a 22 bed ward providing care for women with acute gynaecology problems, preoperative and postoperative care for General Gynaecology, Gynaecology Oncology and women following breast surgery . It also provides care to women with early pregnancy complications and medical terminations of pregnancy up to 20 weeks gestation.
The service has access to the ACH Level 8 High Dependency Unit (HDU) and the Critical Care Unit for those women requiring a higher level of care and monitoring.
Outpatient Clinics
The Gynaecological Outpatient Clinics are held at the Greenlane Clinical Centre and include:
Long Acting Contraceptive Clinic (LARC)
Free contraceptive service to all women living within ADHB. We offer an initial consultation and assessment and a range of contraceptives. We also offer pregnancy testing, STI testing and cervical screening.
Call 0800 527200 for enquiries or to book an appointment. If you need to, please leave a message and your contact phone number for us to get back to you.
Visit the National Women's Health website for more information.
Epsom Day Unit (EDU)
Epsom Day Unit (EDU) is the Auckland Regional Service for first trimester terminations (up to 12.6 weeks on day of referral) of pregnancy. The boundary for the Auckland region is from Mercer in the south to Warkworth in the north.
Referral to EDU is made by a General Practitioner (GP), from a Family Planning Clinic, or self-referral by women. The appointment is made by telephone with the scan and referral letter sent through to the clinic. GPs and FPA clinics are aware of referral criteria to the clinic.
EDU provides a two-day service and it is important that women are aware of this before coming to the clinic.
Call (09) 631 0740 for enquiries.
Fertility Plus
NWH Fertility Plus offers a range of secondary and tertiary reproductive endocrinology, infertility and sub-fertility services to the women of the Northern Region. Fertility Plus is one of three public providers in the Auckland region. Private investigation and treatment is also available. Fertility is accredited by the Australasian Reproductive Technologies Accreditation Committee.
Publicly funded fertility treatment is available to women under 40 years of age, who are non-smokers and have a BMI under 32. If couples do not meet the criteria for publicly funded fertility treatment, private treatment is available.
Email fertplus@adhb.govt.nz for enquiries.
Visit the National Women's Health website for more information.
Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU)
EPAU is a nurse-led outpatient service, with access to a pregnancy loss counsellor and medical support. This service is based at GCC and provided for women referred for the management of early pregnancy complications, including miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancy. Women are offered the options of Conservative (no intervention), Medical or Surgical management of miscarriage.
Gynaecology Oncology
NWH is the regional service provider for surgical gynaecology oncology, providing services to CMDHB, WDHB and Northland. An extended regional surgical service is offered to Gisborne, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. This service has a close association with Blood and Cancer Services of ACH (chemotherapy and radiation therapy services).
Visit the National Women's Health website for more information.
Women’s Assessment Unit (WAU)
This service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides acute care for women experiencing pregnancy and gynaecological complications.
If an acute situation occurs and assessment is required immediately, a woman will be referred to the Women’s Assessment Unit by her General Practitioner. In WAU the patient will be seen by the Gynaecology on-call team to determine the most appropriate mode of treatment and the necessary investigations will be carried out.
Women's Health Pain Clinic
We help women with persistent pelvic pain which may or may not be related to endometriosis. We also help women experiencing pain conditions in pregnancy such as lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain, pubic symphysis dysfunction, sacroiliac joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Our clinical team manage inpatients and outpatients, allowing for a smooth transition in both directions between hospital and community. We adopt a holistic approach to pain management, aiming to empower women with the skills to manage their condition.Please visit the National Women's Health website for more information
nationalwomenshealth.adhb.govt.nz
Cervical dysplasia is the growth of abnormal cells around the cervix (entrance to the uterus). Although this condition is not cancer there is a small risk that these cells could become cancerous.
Sometimes no treatment is needed as the condition may improve by itself. For more severe dysplasia, treatment involves removing the abnormal cells by freezing, laser therapy (a tiny beam of light) or electrical burning. Whether you have treatment or not, you should have more frequent cervical screening in the future.
ColposcopyA colposcopy is a detailed examination of the cervix (entrance to the uterus) with a specially lit microscope (colposcope). As with a cervical smear, an instrument called a speculum is inserted into the vagina, and then the colposcope is inserted with its light directed on the cervix.
A specialist will perform a colposcopy if your cervical smear has shown abnormal or cancerous cells on the cervix. During the colposcopy further samples of tissue (biopsies) are usually removed and examined in the laboratory so the doctor can get a clearer idea of the extent of the abnormal cells.
See our website for more information on the Colposcopy Outpatient Service.
The endometrium is the name of the tissue that lines your uterus (womb).
For more information please visit the Endometriosis Foundation (a support group for women with endometriosis) website or email them on info@nzendo.org.nz
Endometrial ablationThe endometrium is the lining of your uterus (womb). Endometrial ablation is the surgical removal or destruction of this lining. There are different methods of destroying the endometrium including electricity, laser therapy or freezing.
A specialist performs the operation and it is done through the vagina, so there is no need for the abdomen to be cut open. The endometrium will heal leaving scarring, which usually reduces or stops menstrual periods. In women who have very heavy periods (menorrhagia), an endometrial ablation can be done instead of a hysterectomy as it is an easier procedure than a hysterectomy and is quicker to recover from. Endometrial ablation is only performed in women who no longer wish to have children.
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is when female hormones (oestrogen by itself or with progesterone) are given to a woman with lower hormone levels, or during or after menopause when the production of oestrogen by the ovaries declines (for menopause treatment may be referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT)). The hormones can be taken as tablets, implants or skin patches.
Different types of MHT have different risks and they’re not the same for everyone. However, for some women, short-term use of MHT (no more than 3–4 years) can provide relief from symptoms caused by having less oestrogen in their bodies, such as hot flushes and loss of bone density.
The risks and benefits of MHT should be thoroughly discussed with a doctor before treatment begins.
Hysterectomy (removal of womb)A hysterectomy is an operation to remove your uterus (womb). Some types of hysterectomies include the removal of other organs as well, and this will depend on the reason for the operation. A hysterectomy is a treatment for many different diseases and conditions and it can be done through the vagina or through a cut in the stomach.
For more information view the Hysterectomy patient booklet.
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. If no cancer is present, a small spoon-like instrument with a long handle, called a curette, is inserted and the lining of the uterus is scraped off and sent to the laboratory for examination.
This procedure can be done under a general (you are asleep) or local (you are awake but the area being investigated is numb) anaesthetic.
Infertility (problems getting pregnant)About one in every six couples in New Zealand will experience infertility. This is when they are unable to conceive a baby after one year of trying, or when the woman has been unable to carry a pregnancy to a live birth. In about half of the cases, the cause of infertility is due to a problem with the woman and, in the other half, the problem will be with the man.
There are now many treatments available for infertile couples and, in many cases, these treatments will result in a successful pregnancy. Doctors with a special interest and expertise in this area will usually provide the best opportunity for treatment. Local support groups and societies can be of help during the stressful time of having tests and treatment.
Visit our website for more information on infertility and how we can help you.
Menopause is also called the “change of life” and is the time when your periods will become irregular and stop. This is a natural process in all women and for most it will occur between the ages of 45 and 55 years.
Menopause is brought on by decreasing levels of the hormone oestrogen and this can cause a variety of symptoms, including hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, sleeping problems, memory problems, depression and vaginal dryness. Some women do not notice any symptoms or they are very mild, whereas others experience more severe problems and should go to their doctor for advice.
There are many treatments available to reduce the symptoms associated with menopause and, in some cases, lifestyle changes can also help.
Menstrual problemsMenstruation 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.
Menstruation starts at puberty and it is stimulated by hormones that make a girl’s body able to become pregnant. This usually happens anytime between the ages of 9 and 16 years. Menstruation will recur about every 28 days (the menstrual cycle), unless interrupted by pregnancy, and will stop at menopause, which occurs at about 50 years of age.
There are a number of problems that can occur with menstruation ranging from mild to severe. More than half of all women will have cramps (dysmenorrhoea) during the first day or two of their period. Other problems include very heavy or long periods (menorrhagia) or no periods (amenorrhoea).
If pain or bleeding persists see your General Practitioner.
You may also find the information leaflet on heavy periods and bleeding inbetween useful.
An oophorectomy is an operation to remove one or both ovaries. It is done for many reasons including ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts or to remove the source of the hormone oestrogen that is produced by the ovaries and can stimulate some cancers. If both ovaries are removed, your periods will stop and you will not be able to have children. Sometimes an oophorectomy is done together with a hysterectomy.
Ovarian cystsAn 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. Sometimes, the ovarian cyst may cause pain.
The best way to check for an ovarian cyst is by ultrasound examination, and the treatment will depend on how troublesome the symptoms are. Sometimes it is best to leave the cyst alone and just check it regularly with ultrasound. In other cases it may need to be removed by laparoscopic surgery.
For more information, read our ovarian cysts patient leaflet.
All women and people with a cervix aged 25 – 69 who have ever had intimate skin-to-skin contact or been sexually active should have regular cervical screening. This includes women who have been immunised against HPV. Together, regular screening and HPV immunisation provide the best protection against cervical cancer.
There are now more options for how you have cervical screening done:
Talk with your healthcare provider to decide which option is best for you.
If HPV is found, you may need to have a follow-up test or be referred directly for colposcopy.
If you’ve not yet had HPV testing, you should be screened 3 years after your last test (or 1 year if immune deficient). Once you have had an HPV test, and providing HPV is not found, your next screening will be in 5 years (or 3 years if immune deficient).
For more information: Cervical screening | Health New Zealand
Polycystic ovary 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. PCOS is also one of the main causes of infertility in women. The ovaries of women with PCOS often contain many small cysts (fluid-filled sacs), but this does not seem to be the cause of the condition.
For women who have not reached menopause, the most common treatment is the birth control pill, which will regulate your periods. There are also other medicines that can help control the symptoms.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)Many women experience feelings of tension, anger, fatigue and depression just before and during the first days of their menstrual period. This is called premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and is probably caused by the change in hormone levels.
In most women with PMS, symptoms will not be severe enough to require treatment, but some will need to discuss their symptoms with a doctor. Sometimes symptoms can be improved by avoiding some types of food, such as coffee and foods high in salt.
Sterilisation reversal Couples presenting with sterilisation reversal requests need to undergo standard scoring to determine their eligibility for publicly funded treatment. Any woman is able to present for assessment for a private sterilisation reversal. It is now often technically possible to have keyhole surgery to reverse female sterilisation Vaginal infectionsThe most common vaginal infections are yeast infections (also called candidiasis or thrush), trichomoniasis, or bacterial infections (also called bacterial vaginosis). Symptoms of an infection may include irritation, itching, discharge and odour.
To make a diagnosis a doctor will usually do a vaginal swab, which involves wiping a type of cotton bud gently across the infected area. The swab is then sent to the laboratory for analysis. There are many medicines that can successfully treat these infections.
Urogynaecology services Urodynamics Bladder TestGreenlane Clinical Centre
Street address
214 Green Lane West
One Tree Hill
Auckland 1051
Postal address
National Women’s Health Private Bag 92 024 Auckland Mail Centre Auckland 1142 New Zealand
Email: gynaeoutpatientscheduling@adhb.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 496 232
Auckland City Hospital
Street address
2 Park Road
Grafton
Auckland 1023
Postal address
National Women’s Health Private Bag 92 024 Auckland Mail Centre Auckland 1142 New Zealand
Email: gynaeoutpatientscheduling@adhb.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 496 232
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