Women's Health · Adelaide GP
Women's health GP in Adelaide
Whole-person care, across every stage of life.
Women's health is more than reproductive health. Hormones, heart, thyroid, bone density, mental wellbeing, sleep — it's all connected. Whether you're navigating a change, managing something ongoing, or simply overdue for a proper check-up, I'm here to look at the full picture with you.
Women's health across the whole lifespan
Women's health needs shift significantly across different life stages — and the healthcare system doesn't always keep pace. Symptoms get normalised that shouldn't be. Conditions like PCOS and endometriosis are frequently underdiagnosed, or take years to identify. The hormonal changes of perimenopause are often dismissed as anxiety or stress. And cardiovascular risk in women — which tends to manifest differently than in men — is still underrecognised and undertreated.
My approach is to take the full history: what's happening now, what's changed, what you've been putting up with, and what you've wondered about but didn't know was worth mentioning. Appointments here are longer — because a thorough assessment takes the time it takes, and rushing it produces worse medicine.
I see women across all life stages — from early adulthood through to postmenopause — and I try to make these conversations as easy to have as possible. You don't need the right words. You don't need a crisis. A sense that something isn't right is enough to start.
What a women's health assessment actually covers
Women's health isn't one thing. These are the areas I look at as part of a thorough assessment — because they're all connected.
Hormonal health & menstrual wellbeing
Menstrual irregularity, pain, and hormonal symptoms are among the most common reasons women visit a GP — and among the most frequently normalised. Heavy bleeding, cycle changes, and premenstrual symptoms that significantly affect daily life are worth discussing — there's often something identifiable and manageable behind them.
- Irregular, absent, or very heavy periods
- Painful periods that disrupt daily life or work
- Premenstrual syndrome — mood, physical, and energy symptoms
- PCOS assessment and management
- Endometriosis investigation and referral pathways
Perimenopause & menopause
The transition through perimenopause is one of the most significant and underserved phases of women's health. Symptoms can begin years before the final menstrual period, and they affect not just comfort but cardiovascular health, bone density, mood, sleep, and cognitive function. There are evidence-based management options — this is a conversation worth having properly.
- Hot flushes, night sweats, and sleep disruption
- Mood changes, brain fog, and memory concerns
- Vaginal dryness and sexual health changes
- Bone health and cardiovascular risk in menopause
- Individual assessment and management planning
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women — and one of the most underrecognised health risks women face. Women's heart attack symptoms often differ from the textbook presentation, and risk factors like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes interact with hormonal changes in ways that require specific attention.
- Blood pressure and cholesterol assessment
- Cardiovascular risk scoring — tailored to women's risk profile
- Gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia as long-term CV risk factors
- Menopausal transition and cardiovascular risk
- Lifestyle assessment and management planning
Preventive screening
Regular preventive screening is one of the highest-value things a GP can help with — because most serious conditions are far more manageable when found early. I'll review what you're due for based on your age, family history, and individual risk factors, and ensure nothing has been missed.
- Cervical screening (5-yearly, age 25–74, per current guidelines)
- Breast cancer screening — BreastScreen referral and awareness
- Bone density (DXA) — when and who needs it
- Bowel cancer screening from age 45
- Skin check referral and melanoma risk assessment
Thyroid health
Thyroid disorders are significantly more common in women than men, and their symptoms — fatigue, weight changes, mood shifts, hair thinning, feeling cold — frequently overlap with those of perimenopause, iron deficiency, depression, and other conditions. Getting the right investigation early saves a lot of unnecessary suffering.
- Unexplained fatigue, weight changes, or cold intolerance
- Hair thinning or hair loss
- Mood changes, depression, and anxiety
- TSH, T4, and thyroid antibody testing where indicated
- Ongoing management and specialist referral if needed
Mental health & emotional wellbeing
Women are more likely to experience anxiety and depression, and hormonal changes across the lifespan — including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause — can significantly affect mental health. I take a thorough history and consider the whole picture. I'm GPMHSC accredited, which means Medicare-rebated referral pathways are available when needed.
- Anxiety and depression at any life stage
- Perinatal mental health — antenatal and postnatal
- PMDD and cycle-related mood changes
- Menopausal mood and cognitive changes
- Medicare-rebated Mental Health Treatment Plans (MHTPs)
Reproductive & preconception health
Whether you're thinking about pregnancy, actively trying to conceive, managing contraception, or navigating fertility concerns, your GP is the right starting point. A preconception review is one of the most valuable appointments a woman can have — and the right timing makes a real difference to outcomes.
- Preconception health review and preparation
- Contraception — full range of options discussed
- Fertility concerns — initial assessment and referral
- Pregnancy-related health conditions
Bone health & osteoporosis
Bone density loss accelerates significantly in the years around menopause. Osteoporosis is common, frequently asymptomatic until a fracture occurs, and highly preventable. Lifestyle factors — calcium, vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise — matter most, but so does understanding your individual risk and when screening is appropriate.
- Bone density risk assessment by age and risk factors
- Vitamin D and calcium adequacy
- DXA scan referral when appropriate
- Lifestyle strategies to protect bone health
- Falls risk assessment in older women
Sleep & fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common presentations in women's health — and one of the most frequently dismissed. It can reflect thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency anaemia, sleep disruption from hormonal changes, depression, sleep apnoea (less common in women but not rare), or simply the accumulation of too many demands without enough recovery. It's always worth investigating properly.
- Iron studies and ferritin — particularly in women with heavy periods
- Thyroid function and vitamin D
- Sleep assessment — quality, disruption, and pattern
- Sleep apnoea screening where indicated
- Underlying mood and psychological contributors
Perimenopause — more than just hot flushes
Perimenopause can begin a decade before the final menstrual period, and its effects extend well beyond the symptoms that get most attention. Sleep disruption, mood instability, cognitive changes, and significant shifts in energy and libido are common — and commonly undertreated, partly because they are difficult to attribute with certainty to hormonal change.
The estrogen decline that drives menopause also affects cardiovascular risk, bone density, and cognitive health over the longer term. Managing the transition well isn't just about symptom relief — it's about laying the groundwork for the decades that follow.
There are evidence-based management options available. The right approach depends on your symptoms, your health history, your preferences, and your individual risk profile. This is a longer-consultation conversation — and one that's worth having properly rather than briefly.
I don't have a one-size-fits-all position on menopause management. I have a commitment to making sure you understand your options, and to working out what's right for you specifically.
A dedicated Medicare Health Assessment for perimenopause and menopause is available for eligible patients — those experiencing symptoms of perimenopause or menopause, or who are undergoing treatment for their symptoms. This is a longer appointment that covers history, physical assessment, investigations, and a management plan that's built around your individual circumstances. Confirm eligibility at the time of booking.
Symptoms that warrant a conversation
These are things women commonly put up with longer than necessary.
- Hot flushes and night sweats that affect sleep or daily function
- Significant mood changes — anxiety, low mood, or irritability that's new or different
- Brain fog, difficulty concentrating, or memory lapses that are out of character
- Cycle changes — irregular periods, shorter cycles, or skipped periods from mid-40s onward
- Vaginal dryness, discomfort, or changes in sexual health
- Fatigue that doesn't improve with rest
- Joint aches or a general sense of feeling physically different
- Hair thinning or changes in skin texture
- Waking in the night without knowing why
You don't need to tick all of these — or any of them. If something has shifted and you're wondering whether it's hormonal, that's reason enough to come in.
Women and mental health
Sources: AIHW; ABS National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2022
- Women experience anxiety disorders at roughly twice the rate of men in Australia
- Depressive disorders are the leading cause of disease burden for women aged 15–44
- Around 1 in 5 women experience depression or anxiety during pregnancy or the first year after birth
- Hormonal transitions — perimenopause in particular — are associated with significantly increased risk of first-onset depression
- Women are more likely to seek help for mental health — but still frequently receive care that doesn't account for hormonal contributors
If you are in immediate distress, call Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7) or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. PANDA (perinatal mental health): 1300 726 306. SA Mental Health Triage: 13 14 65.
When hormones and mental health intersect
Mental health and hormonal health are not separate systems. Estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid hormones all influence neurotransmitter function — which means hormonal changes at any point in life can have real effects on mood, anxiety, sleep, and cognition.
This doesn't mean every mood change is hormonal. It means that when I take a mental health history in a woman, I'm thinking about where she is in her reproductive life, what her cycle looks like, whether thyroid function has been checked, and what else might be contributing — alongside the psychological and social factors that always matter.
I'm GPMHSC accredited, which means I can prepare Medicare-rebated Mental Health Treatment Plans (MHTPs) — giving access to subsidised sessions with a psychologist or other allied health professional. Whether you come in already knowing you want that support, or whether the conversation unfolds in that direction, I can help.
Perinatal mental health — during pregnancy and in the postpartum period — is an area that requires particular care. If this applies to you, please don't wait until things feel critical. Earlier is always better.
Things women are often told — that aren't quite right
"Painful periods are just something you have to deal with."
Menstrual pain that requires strong pain relief, disrupts work or daily activities, or is getting worse over time is not normal and shouldn't be normalised. Conditions like endometriosis — which affects roughly one in ten women — are frequently underdiagnosed precisely because significant pain gets dismissed as typical.
Significant period pain warrants investigation, not reassurance.
Endometriosis, PCOS, adenomyosis, and fibroids are all diagnosable. Some require specialist investigation. Early engagement with a GP means earlier diagnosis, earlier access to management options, and better long-term outcomes — including for fertility.
"Heart disease is a man's problem."
Cardiovascular disease kills more Australian women than any other condition — more than all cancers combined. Women have historically been underrepresented in cardiovascular research, and their symptoms — which can be subtler and less "textbook" — are more likely to be missed or attributed to anxiety.
Cardiovascular risk in women requires active assessment — not assumptions.
Hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking all increase cardiovascular risk in women. Factors specific to women — gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, early menopause, PCOS — also carry long-term cardiovascular implications that are worth tracking explicitly.
"Feeling exhausted, foggy, and flat is just part of being busy."
Chronic fatigue, cognitive fog, and persistent low mood are not simply the price of a full life. They are symptoms — and they deserve the same investigative attention as chest pain or a lump. In women, they frequently reflect thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency, sleep disruption, or hormonal change, all of which are identifiable and treatable.
Fatigue and brain fog have causes — and they're usually findable.
A targeted panel of blood tests and a thorough history can usually identify what's contributing. Iron deficiency is particularly common in women with heavy periods, and is frequently missed because ferritin — the best marker of iron stores — isn't always included by default. It's worth specifically asking for.
"Perimenopause doesn't start until your late 40s."
Perimenopause can begin from the mid-30s, though it more commonly starts in the mid to late 40s. Symptoms can precede any obvious change in the menstrual cycle — which means women are sometimes in the thick of hormonal transition before they or their GP recognise it as such.
Hormonal transition is a continuum — and earlier symptoms are real.
Sleep disruption, new-onset anxiety, mood changes, and irregular periods from the early-to-mid 40s can all reflect early perimenopause. Taking the history properly — including the timing and pattern of symptoms relative to the menstrual cycle — is often the most important diagnostic step.
What to expect when you come in
Women's health appointments here are longer than a standard GP visit — long enough to properly cover your history, examination, and the concerns you've been sitting on. Here's how it typically unfolds.
We start with your history
What's brought you in, how long things have been going on, your menstrual and reproductive history, family history, lifestyle, mental health, and anything you've been quietly wondering about. There's no checklist-ticking — the conversation leads.
Examination and measurements
Blood pressure, a targeted physical examination based on what's come up in the history.
Investigations — tailored to you
Blood tests selected based on your age, risk factors, symptoms, and what hasn't been checked recently. This might include thyroid function, iron studies, cholesterol, blood glucose, hormones, and others. Cervical screening can also be arranged if indicated. Not a one-size panel — a considered one.
A plan that makes sense
When results are back, we go through them together — what they mean, what they don't mean, and what comes next. Whether that's nothing, lifestyle changes, further investigation, or a specialist referral, you'll understand the reasoning and have had input into the direction.
Time to actually cover what matters
Women's health often involves multiple interconnected issues that don't fit neatly into a short appointment — hormones, mental health, screening, and lifestyle are all connected. Appointments here are longer consultations, because covering things properly takes the time it takes.
Medicare rebates apply and are returned same day in most cases. Confirm current fees at the time of booking.
Finding us
Pro Health Care Glenelg · 1 Rose Street, Glenelg SA 5045
Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm
Serving Glenelg, Glenelg North, Brighton, Hove, Seacliff, Somerton Park, Plympton, Marion, Warradale, Oaklands Park, Dover Gardens and surrounding suburbs.
Women's health — frequently asked
Ready to discuss your health properly?
New patients welcome. Longer consultations. Glenelg and surrounding Adelaide suburbs.