Compassionate Women's Healthcare at Every Stage of Life
Women’s health concerns, painful periods, pregnancy complications, abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, or concerning symptoms you’ve been ignoring deserve expert attention.
At Botshilu, our gynaecologists and obstetricians provide comprehensive care for women at every life stage, from adolescence through menopause.
Our experienced specialists offer compassionate, judgment-free care in modern facilities right here in your community.
Our Obstetricians & Gynaecologists
Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Please consult with a qualified obstetrician or gynaecologist for diagnosis and treatment recommendations specific to your health needs.
What Conditions Do Our Gynaecology & Obstetrics Specialists Treat?
Our gynaecology and obstetrics department manages the complete range of women’s health conditions.
Specific Conditions
Pelvic Pain
Chronic pelvic pain affects daily life, relationships, and work. Causes include endometriosis (tissue similar to uterine lining growing outside the uterus), pelvic inflammatory disease, adhesions from previous surgery or infections, ovarian cysts, fibroids, adenomyosis, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder conditions, or musculoskeletal problems. Diagnosis requires thorough evaluation including examination, imaging, and sometimes laparoscopy (camera examination of pelvic organs). Treatment depends on the cause but might include medications, physiotherapy, minimally invasive surgery, or pain management approaches.
Fibroids
Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths in the uterus affecting many women, particularly as they approach menopause. Small fibroids often cause no symptoms and need no treatment. Large or numerous fibroids can cause heavy bleeding, pelvic pressure, frequent urination, constipation, and pain. Treatment options include monitoring (if symptoms are minimal), hormonal medications to shrink fibroids and reduce bleeding, minimally invasive procedures (uterine artery embolisation, radiofrequency ablation), surgical removal of fibroids (myomectomy), or hysterectomy for severe cases. Treatment choice depends on your symptoms, age, desire for future pregnancy, and fibroid characteristics.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, on ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder. This tissue bleeds during menstruation but has no way to exit the body, causing inflammation, pain, scarring, and sometimes infertility. Symptoms include severe period pain, pain during intercourse, painful bowel movements or urination during periods, heavy bleeding, and difficulty conceiving. Diagnosis often requires laparoscopy. Treatment includes pain management, hormonal medications to suppress menstruation, surgical removal of endometriosis tissue, and fertility treatments if conception is affected. Endometriosis is chronic but manageable with appropriate treatment.
Ovarian Cysts
Fluid-filled sacs on ovaries are common and usually harmless, disappearing on their own. However, large cysts can cause pelvic pain, bloating, and pressure. Some cysts are concerning, complex cysts might indicate cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. Cysts are usually detected on ultrasound. Small simple cysts are monitored. Large or symptomatic cysts might require surgical removal. Our specialists can distinguish between benign functional cysts and concerning growths requiring immediate attention.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a hormonal disorder causing irregular periods, excess male hormones (causing acne, excessive hair growth, male-pattern baldness), and multiple small cysts on ovaries. Women with PCOS often struggle with weight management and have increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. PCOS also affects fertility. Treatment addresses individual symptoms, hormonal contraception to regulate periods, medications to manage excess hair growth and acne, lifestyle modifications for weight management, and fertility treatments when pregnancy is desired.
Menopause
Menopause (cessation of periods) typically occurs around age 50, but symptoms can begin years earlier during perimenopause. Hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, and sleep disturbances affect quality of life. Our specialists provide menopause management including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) when appropriate and not contraindicated, non-hormonal medications for symptoms, guidance on managing menopause naturally, and screening for conditions more common after menopause (osteoporosis, heart disease).
Adolescent Gynaecology
Teenagers and young women have unique healthcare needs including education about menstrual health and body changes, management of period problems, contraception counselling, HPV vaccination, and confidential discussions about sexual health. We provide age-appropriate care in a comfortable, non-judgmental environment.
Gynaecological Surgery
Our specialists perform both minimally invasive and traditional gynaecological surgery including laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) for ovarian cysts, endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy; hysteroscopy (camera inside uterus) for polyps, fibroids, abnormal bleeding; hysterectomy (removal of uterus) when medically necessary; myomectomy (removal of fibroids whilst preserving uterus); and prolapse repair surgery.
Infertility
Difficulty conceiving is emotionally devastating. After 12 months of trying (or 6 months if you’re over 35), investigation is warranted. Our specialists can evaluate both partners, identify reversible causes (hormonal imbalances, ovulation problems, blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis), provide initial fertility treatments, and refer to reproductive specialists for advanced treatments like IVF when needed.
Pregnancy & Obstetric Care
Difficulty conceiving is emotionally devastating. After 12 months of trying (or 6 months if you’re over 35), investigation is warranted. Our specialists can evaluate both partners, identify reversible causes (hormonal imbalances, ovulation problems, blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis), provide initial fertility treatments, and refer to reproductive specialists for advanced treatments like IVF when needed.
Contraception & Family Planning
Our specialists provide comprehensive contraception counselling covering all options: hormonal contraception (pills, patches, injections, implants, hormonal IUDs), non-hormonal IUDs (copper), barrier methods, permanent sterilisation (tubal ligation), and emergency contraception. Choice depends on your health, preferences, contraindications, and family planning goals. We help you choose the most appropriate method and manage any side effects.
Menstrual Problems
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia)
If you’re soaking through pads or tampons hourly, passing large clots, bleeding for more than 7 days, or becoming anaemic from blood loss, you have abnormally heavy bleeding. This isn’t something you just endure. Causes include fibroids, polyps, hormonal imbalances, adenomyosis, or bleeding disorders. Treatment options range from hormonal medications to minimally invasive procedures to hysterectomy for severe cases. Many women dramatically improve their quality of life through treatment, you don’t have to plan your life around your period.
Painful Periods (Dysmenorrhoea)
Menstrual cramps are common, but severe pain that keeps you home from work or school, requires strong pain medication, or doesn’t respond to over-the-counter treatments indicates a problem. Causes might include endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Treatment addresses the underlying cause, hormonal medications, pain management, or surgery when needed.
Irregular Periods
Unpredictable cycles make planning difficult and might indicate hormonal problems, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, or other conditions. Our specialists can investigate causes through examination and blood tests, provide treatments to regulate cycles, and address underlying conditions.
Absent Periods (Amenorrhoea)
Missing periods (excluding pregnancy) might result from stress, excessive exercise, eating disorders, hormonal imbalances, or premature menopause. This isn’t just inconvenient, absent periods can affect bone health and fertility. Investigation identifies causes and appropriate treatment restores normal function.
Infections
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
Women are prone to bladder and kidney infections causing painful urination, frequent urination, pelvic pain, and sometimes fever. Recurrent UTIs need investigation for underlying causes and preventive strategies.
Vaginal Infections
Bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and trichomoniasis cause discharge, odour, itching, and discomfort. These common infections are easily treated but need proper diagnosis, different infections require different treatments.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes, and other STIs need prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. We provide confidential STI screening and treatment without judgment.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Infection of reproductive organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries) usually from untreated STIs causes pelvic pain, fever, abnormal discharge, and can lead to chronic pain and infertility. PID requires prompt antibiotic treatment.
Pregnancy & Obstetric Care
Routine Prenatal Care
Regular antenatal appointments monitor your health and baby’s development throughout pregnancy. These visits include physical examinations, blood tests, ultrasound scans, screening for pregnancy complications, and education about pregnancy, labour, and newborn care. Prenatal care dramatically improves outcomes for mother and baby.
High-Risk Pregnancy Management
Some pregnancies require additional monitoring and care, pregnancies with twins or multiples, mothers with pre-existing conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease), pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placenta problems), previous pregnancy losses or complications, or pregnancies in very young or older mothers. Our specialists provide intensive monitoring, coordinate care with other specialists when needed, and plan delivery approaches to optimise safety.
Labour and Delivery
Our maternity unit provides supportive labour care with experienced midwives, pain management options including epidural anaesthesia, foetal monitoring throughout labour, obstetrician availability for complications, and immediate caesarean section capability if needed. You can labour in comfortable private suites with family support.
Caesarean Sections
When vaginal delivery isn’t safe or possible, breech presentation, placenta praevia, foetal distress, failed labour progression, previous caesarean with contraindications to vaginal birth, caesarean section is performed in our operating theatre. Our anaesthetists provide safe anaesthesia, your obstetrician performs the procedure, and you recover in our maternity unit with pain management and support.
Pregnancy Complications
Our team manages all pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and eclampsia, placenta praevia and abruption, preterm labour, intrauterine growth restriction, and pregnancy loss. Emergency obstetric care is available.
Postnatal Care
After delivery, you’ll receive care for several days in our maternity unit. We monitor your recovery, assist with breastfeeding, provide newborn care, screen babies for common conditions, and ensure you’re ready for discharge. The Botshilu Bambinos programme continues support after you go home.
Gynaecological Cancers
Cervical Cancer Screening
Regular Pap smears detect precancerous changes before cancer develops. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing identifies high-risk HPV types causing most cervical cancers. We provide routine screening and manage abnormal results through colposcopy (detailed examination with magnification) and treatment of precancerous lesions.
Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Our specialists can diagnose cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulvar, and vaginal cancers through examination, imaging, and biopsy. Treatment might include surgery, and we coordinate with oncologists for chemotherapy and radiotherapy when needed. Early detection dramatically improves cancer survival.
Prolapse & Incontinence
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
When pelvic floor muscles weaken (often after childbirth or with aging), organs (bladder, uterus, rectum) can bulge into or outside the vagina. This causes pressure, discomfort, and difficulty with bladder and bowel function. Treatment ranges from pelvic floor physiotherapy to pessary devices to surgical repair depending on severity.
Urinary Incontinence
Leaking urine with coughing, sneezing, exercise, or urgency affects many women after childbirth or with aging. This isn’t something you just accept, treatments include pelvic floor exercises, medications, bladder training, and surgical procedures. Many women regain continence through appropriate treatment.
Understanding Gynaecology & Obstetrics
Gynaecology covers women’s reproductive health outside of pregnancy. Obstetrics covers pregnancy and childbirth, antenatal care, labour and delivery, caesarean sections, and postnatal care for mother and baby.
Most specialists practise both (abbreviated Obs & Gynae, or O&G). They are doctors who have completed medical school plus four to five years of further training in women’s reproductive health, pregnancy management, and gynaecological surgery.
Women’s health problems are too often minimised or endured in silence. Painful periods, heavy bleeding, and pelvic pain are common, but they are not something you simply have to live with. If a symptom is affecting your daily life, it is worth having it looked at.
Why Choose Botshilu for Women's Healthcare
Women’s healthcare calls for medical expertise and emotional sensitivity in equal measure.
Botshilu’s Gynaecology & Obstetrics department offers:
- Experienced specialists, gynaecologists and obstetricians who have cared for thousands of women through pregnancy, gynaecological conditions, and every stage of life.
- Everything under one roof, routine examinations and cancer screening, full antenatal care, delivery in our maternity unit, gynaecological surgery, and fertility assessment.
- Continuity of care, the same team from your first appointment through to your recovery, or your baby’s arrival.
- Privacy and dignity, sensitive concerns discussed confidentially, in your own time.
- Care close to home, with your family nearby.
Your Health Matters. Don't Wait
Women are experts at putting everyone else first, children, parents, partners, employers, whilst their own symptoms wait. But your health enables everything else you do.
Most women’s health problems do not resolve on their own. Endometriosis worsens over time, fibroids grow, prolapse progresses, and cervical changes picked up on screening can be treated long before they become serious. Early intervention is easier, more effective, and less invasive.
Your symptoms matter and your pain deserves treatment. Book an appointment, you don’t have to wait until it is unbearable.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Concerns and Honest Answers
Reproductive health doctors discuss "intimate" problems all day, every day. What's embarrassing to you is routine medical information to them. They've seen and heard everything, your symptoms aren't shocking or unusual. Good doctors create comfortable environments where you can discuss anything without judgment. If a doctor makes you feel uncomfortable or dismisses your concerns, find a different doctor.
Pelvic examinations shouldn't be painful, though they can feel uncomfortable and vulnerable. Pain during examination might indicate infection, endometriosis, or other problems, tell your doctor immediately if you're experiencing pain. Doctors can adjust technique, use smaller instruments, or stop if you're too uncomfortable. You're in control, you can ask to stop at any time.
If you're soaking through pads hourly, bleeding for more than 7 days, passing clots larger than your tumb, bleeding between periods, or becoming anaemic (tired, pale, dizzy) from blood loss, your bleeding is abnormal and warrants evaluation. Don't accept this as normal, there are treatments.
Many women have healthy pregnancies and babies after 35. However, risks do increase with age, chromosomal abnormalities (Down syndrome), pregnancy complications (gestational diabetes, high blood pressure), miscarriage, and fertility challenges. With appropriate prenatal care and monitoring, most women over 35 have successful pregnancies. Your obstetrician assesses your individual risk factors.
After 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse without conception (or 6 months if you're over 35), seek evaluation. Fertility declines with age, so don't delay. Many causes of infertility are treatable, early investigation improves chances of successful pregnancy.
Not necessarily. Many women have vaginal births after previous caesarean (VBAC). However, suitability depends on reason for previous caesarean, type of uterine incision, current pregnancy factors, and hospital capability to manage emergency caesarean if attempted VBAC complications arise. Your obstetrician discusses VBAC safety for your specific situation.
Pain requiring strong pain medication, keeping you home from work/school, not responding to over-the-counter treatments, or accompanied by painful intercourse, painful bowel movements during periods, or difficulty conceiving suggests endometriosis. "Normal" menstrual discomfort is mild cramping managed with paracetamol or ibuprofen. Severe pain always warrants investigation.
Sometimes. Myomectomy (removing fibroids whilst preserving the uterus) is possible for some women, particularly those desiring future pregnancy. However, fibroids can recur after myomectomy. Hysterectomy (removing the uterus) is definitive and appropriate for women who've completed childbearing and have severe symptoms. Your surgeon discusses which approach suits your situation.
This depends on the surgery. Previous abdominal surgery for non-obstetric reasons (appendectomy, gallbladder removal, bowel surgery) doesn't usually preclude vaginal delivery. Previous caesarean or major uterine surgery requires careful assessment. Your obstetrician reviews your surgical history and advises appropriate delivery plans.
This is entirely personal preference. Both male and female gynaecologists receive the same training and provide the same quality care. Some women feel more comfortable with female doctors for intimate examinations; others have no preference. What matters most is finding a doctor who listens, explains clearly, respects your concerns, and provides excellent medical care. You can request female providers when booking, your comfort is important.
Maternity care involves multiple components, antenatal consultations, ultrasound scans, blood tests, hospital admission for delivery, obstetrician fees, anaesthetist fees (if epidural or caesarean), paediatrician assessment of baby, and postnatal care. Most medical aids cover maternity care comprehensively, though you'll likely have co-payments. Medical aid maternity benefits vary significantly, check your specific plan. For self-paying patients, our reception team provides cost estimates for different delivery scenarios.