Wellstar Gynecology
Wellstar gynecologists specialize in the health of women. Our highly-trained doctors and nurses offer a full range of women’s health services including, preventative care like PAP tests and breast exams, as well as family planning, infertility evaluation and treatment urinary and pelvic floor conditions and menopause management.
Wellstar Gynecologists Caring for You
Busy schedules can make it difficult to find the time you know you need to take care of yourself as well as you take care of your family. Wellstar makes it easy for you, with convenient locations across Northwest Georgia, so you’re never far from physicians and staff expert in meeting women’s unique health needs. From mental health to reproductive health and everything in between, our comprehensive services help you get well, live well and stay well.
- Wellness Visits
- Screenings
- Treatments
- Nutrition
- Augusta-Why Choose Us
- Augusta-Conditions We Treat
- Augusta-Our Services
Wellness Visits
The first gynecologic exam is recommended for women between the ages of 18 and 21, or earlier if a woman becomes sexually active or at the first sign of a possible gynecologic disorder. The exam, which includes a pelvic exam and a Pap smear to test for cervical cancer, is recommended annually to diagnose possible gynecological disorders early.
Pap smears screen for cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) or other causes. Whether you have had the HPV vaccine or not, Wellstar recommends following these guidelines for Pap smears:
- Age 21—Have your first PAP smear.
- Ages 21 through 29—Have a Pap smear every two years.
- Ages 30 and older—Women with three normal Pap smears in a row should have a Pap smear every three years.
- Ages 65 through 70—Women who have had three normal Pap smears in a row can stop having them.
Exceptions
If you’ve had a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons and don’t have a history of abnormal Pap smears, you no longer need to have them. If you’ve had a hysterectomy and still have your cervix, continue getting Pap smears.
In addition to the pelvic exam and Pap test, your Wellstar physician will perform a breast exam to check for signs of breast cancer, cysts or other breast disorders. You should also follow guidelines for regularly scheduled mammograms to maintain breast health and screen for early signs of cancer.
Current recommendations for mammograms are:
- Women over 40 — Have a mammogram every year.
- Women who have had breast cancer or a family history of breast cancer should begin mammograms before age 40 and possibly have them more often based on recommendations by their Wellstar physician.
Wellstar offers advanced digital mammography, which provides shorter exam times, more comfort, fewer callbacks for additional imaging and reduces the need for biopsies and ultrasounds.
Your annual exam is also an opportunity to discuss other health-related issues, including:
- Birth control
- Fertility
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Osteoporosis
Screenings
Wellstar physicians offer a variety of essential screenings to help you stay well and live well. Your Wellstar physician will determine the screenings that are best for you, based on your preferences and medical and family history. These screenings may include:
Breast Cancer Screening
- Mammogram/physician breast exam (annually for women ages 40 and over)
- Breast self-exam (monthly for women ages 20 and over)
Cholesterol Screening
- Lipid Panel, including LDL (beginning at age 20, then every 5 years if test is normal, or more often, depending on results and cardiac risk).
Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Colonoscopy (every 10 years for women ages 50 and over).
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years for women ages 50 and over).
- Occult blood test (every year).
Diabetes Screening
- Fasting plasma glucose (preferred) or random plasma glucose (every 3 years for women ages 45 and over).
Hypertension Screening
- Blood pressure measurement (every 1-2 years for women of all ages).
Osteoporosis Screening
- DEXA scanning (bone-density testing). For women ages 65 and over, or after menopause in women with additional risk factors.
What We Treat
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- Endometriosis
- Hormone disorders
- Infertility
- Ovarian cysts
- Ovarian insufficiency
- Pelvic floor conditions
- Pelvic pain
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Urinary conditions
- Uterine fibroids
- Vulvar skin conditions
Wellstar offers the most up-to-date treatments for gynecological disorders, including advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques that use smaller incisions for less discomfort, faster healing and shorter hospital stays.
- Uterine Fibroid Embolization, a revolutionary way of treating fibroid tumors of the uterus using a catheter in uterine arteries to inject small particles to block the blood flow to the fibroids, leading to shrinkage and relief.
- The da Vinci® robotic surgical system, state-of-the-art laparoscopic surgery that can be used for gynecological disorders to reduce scarring, blood loss and discomfort.
Nutritional Considerations
One of the best things you can do for your overall health is to maintain a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, along with calcium supplements to help with strong bones. Wellstar nutritionists can work with you to design a nutrition plan to help you reach your health and weight goals.
Why Choose Us
If you’re like most modern women, you lead a busy, active life – from taking care of your family, to your career, to your relationship with your partner – it all depends on your health and well-being. That’s why maintaining your gynecologic health is important in everything you do.
From the very start, we partner with you in all aspects of your gynecological care. We monitor your reproductive and sexual health, providing open and honest communication with you about your gynecological care, including diagnostics and advanced treatments for any problems.
Caring for women is complex. Our kind, compassionate doctors specialize in gynecologic care throughout all the stages of your life. We are here for patients for so many reasons - It could be your young daughter’s first visit to a gynecologist, you and your partner may be thinking about starting a family, or you could be experiencing unexplained pelvic pain or discomfort - we see patients for all these and more.
Conditions We Treat
We understand that dealing with a gynecologic condition and its symptoms can feel painful and worrisome. We treat all types of gynecologic conditions, including:
- Cervical dysplasia, or abnormal, precancerous cells on the cervix
- Menstrual disorders, such as periods that are absent, painful, long and heavy, too frequent or infrequent, as well as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- Ovarian cysts, or fluid-filled sacs in or on one or both ovaries, the part of the female reproductive system that produces eggs during childbearing years
- Pelvic pain, which can originate in the female reproductive organs, urinary or digestive tract, or bones and tissue
- Sex hormone disorders, such as androgen excess, hirsutism, menopause, perimenopause and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Sexual dysfunction, including painful sex, loss of interest and being unable to achieve orgasm
- Teen health concerns, such as abnormal menstrual disorders, acne, body image, eating disorders, sexually transmitted infections, and substance abuse
- Uterine conditions, such as adenomyosis, endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial polyps, endometriosis and uterine fibroids
- Vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis, cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infection and vaginal yeast infection
Our Services
The gynecologists at August University Women’s Health are a multidisciplinary team of doctors with the training and experience to address all your gynecologic concerns and, if needed, will refer you to a specialist right here on campus.
Care for Uterine and Pelvic Conditions
Gynecologic problems are uncomfortable and worrisome, women often suffer through conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pelvic pain or pelvic discomfort, or endometriosis.
If you are struggling with any of these, or with any other gynecologic issues, come see us for your comprehensive diagnostic exam, treatment and care for all pelvic and uterine problems.
- Find out more about uterine and pelvic conditions.
Teen and Adolescent Gynecology
We have the largest team of adolescent and teen gynecology specialists in the Augusta area who are trained to provide gentle gynecological care for young patients. Our physicians provide gynecological exams, vaccinations, counseling and more to girls just starting off on their journey to womanhood.
- Find out more about teen and adolescent gynecology services.
Breast Health
For many women there is a real fear of getting breast cancer. After all, one in eight women in the United States will experience breast cancer at some time in her life.
But here’s the good news - with regular screenings and early detection, most cases of breast cancer can be successfully treated. The comprehensive Augusta University Breast Health Center offers everything needed to monitor your breast health, diagnose cancer and deliver state-of-the-art care and surgery.
- Find out more about the Breast Health Center.
Family Planning and Birth Control
You have more birth control choices than ever before, to find the method that’s right for you, talk to our physicians, they can help you choose the contraceptive that best fits your age, health status, religious beliefs, or any other reason. We offer:
- Birth control counseling and consultation
- Natural family planning
- Birth control pills, including pills that limit menstrual periods
- Implants
- Injectables
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
- Diaphragms
- Vasectomies
- Permanent birth control options, including laparoscopic tubal ligation
Preconception Planning
If you are thinking about having a baby, you’ll want to give them the best possible start in life, and that begins before conception. An obstetrician will meet with you to review your physical condition and health habits before you become pregnant, laying the groundwork for a healthy pregnancy and a more positive birthing experience.
During your preconception visit, your physician will:
- Make sure you’ve had all necessary vaccines.
- Help you get any chronic conditions under control before conception.
- Review all medications and supplements you take to make sure they are safe for your baby.
- Help you stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, if that’s an issue.
- Get your weight under control to prevent complications during pregnancy.
- Review both partners’ family histories to help identify genetic disease and recommend genetic counseling or testing, if needed.
- Discuss an appropriate exercise program.
- Discuss the importance of a proper diet, calcium and prenatal vitamins with folic acid
Menopause and Perimenopause Care
As you age, you get closer to starting perimenopause and menopause. During these years your body can experience unpleasant symptoms that can often be disruptive to your life, affecting everything from mood to sleep. We can help, offering complete care through our perimenopause and menopause program.
- Find out more about Menopause and Perimenopause Care
Well Women Care
It’s so important to form a relationship with a skilled physician who will monitor your health through regular Well Woman Care visits. Many diseases and conditions can be treated or cured if they are diagnosed in the early stages. At your visits we conduct:
- Regular exams, to monitor your general health and make sure you have all required screening tests.
- Pap tests, to identify early abnormalities pap smears may miss.
- Clinical breast exams, mammography and referrals to Breast Cancer Care.
- Advanced diagnostics, including pelvic ultrasound and hysteroscopy, if needed.
- Bone density screening, to check bone health.
- STD Screening, for sexually transmitted diseases.
- Genetic counseling and testing.
- Easy referrals to any Augusta University Health specialists.