Womens Health
NHS Women's Health
Peri-Menopause & Menopause
The menopause is when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally.
Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop suddenly.
The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, as a woman's oestrogen levels decline. In the UK, the average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51. The time leading up to the menopause where many hormonal changes are taking place is known as the peri-menopause.
Around 1 in 100 women experience the menopause before 40 years of age. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.
Please find further resources and information relating to the menopause below:
Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists - Menopause and women's health in later life
Wycombe Women's Aid
Women supporting Women against domestic violence
Wycombe Women’s Aid is a registered charity working in the Wycombe, South Bucks and Chiltern Districts of Buckinghamshire. We work with women and children who are experiencing or trying to escape domestic violence and who are dealing with its effects and consequences.
If you need help NOW, please telephone our Helpline – 01494 461367. This helpline operates between 9.00am and 4.30pm Monday – Friday.
Outside of these times, the National Domestic Violence Helpline offers a 24 hour support and information service on 0808 2000 247.
In an emergency telephone the Police – 999.
Click here to visit our website.
For further information and local support services visit:
www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/campaign/domestic-abuse-red-flags/
Prevention Matters
Helping people in Bucks stay independent and active...
Prevention Matters, seeks to catch vulnerable people in need early on, offering help and support before a situation becomes serious. This will allow them to maintain their health and well-being for longer, avoiding the need for serious medical intervention or long-term social care.
Do you know how cervical cancer can be prevented?
We want to ensure all women and people with a cervix know how cervical cancer can be prevented. This means:
- Attending cervical screening when invited
- Knowing the symptoms of cervical cancer and seeking medical advice if experiencing any
- Taking up the HPV vaccination if aged 11-18
- Knowing where to find support and further information
Click here for information on how you can get involved.
If you have had an invite, click here to book your smear.
As long as you have not had any bleeding in the last 48 hours you can book in for your smear.
Cervical Screening
Cervical screening is a method of preventing cervical cancer by detecting abnormal cells in the cervix (lower part of the womb). Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, but it is a test to check the health of the cervix.
Most women's test results show that everything is normal. But for one in 20 women, the test will show some changes in the cells of the cervix. Most of these changes will not lead to cervical cancer and the cells will go back to normal on their own. In some cases, the abnormal cells need to be treated to prevent them becoming a problem later.
NHS Choices - Cervical Screening
The why, when & how guide to cervical screening
This factsheet is for women who would like information about having a cervical smear test for screening. This means having the test when you don't have any symptoms.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. About 46,000 women get breast cancer in the UK each year. Most of them (8 out of 10) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases men, can also get breast cancer.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites over 2 million women for screening every year, and detects over 14,000 cancers. Dr Emma Pennery of Breast Cancer Care says: “Breast X-rays, called mammograms, can detect tumours at a very early stage, before you’d feel a lump. The earlier it’s treated, the higher the survival rate.”
Find out more about the symptoms and signs of breast cancer and about screening:
HPV Vaccination
Since September 2008 there has been a national programme to vaccinate girls aged 12-13 against human papilloma virus (HPV). There is also a three-year catch up campaign that will offer the HPV vaccine (also known as the cervical cancer jab) to 13-18 year old girls.
The programme is delivered largely through secondary schools, and consists of three injections that are given over a six-month period. In the UK, more than 1.4 million doses have been given since the vaccination programme started.
What is Human papilloma virus (HPV)?
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name of a family of viruses that affect the skin and the moist membranes that line your body, such as those in your cervix, anus, mouth and throat. These membranes are called the mucosa.
There are more than 100 different types of HPV viruses, with about 40 types affecting the genital area. These are classed as high risk and low risk.
How you get HPV?
Types of HPV that affect the skin can be passed on by skin contact with an affected person. The types of HPV that affect the mouth and throat can be passed on through kissing. Genital HPV is usually spread through intimate, skin to skin, contact during sex. You can have the genital HPV virus for years and not have any sign of it.
How HPV can cause cervical cancer?
Most HPV infections are harmless or cause genital warts, however some types can cause cervical cancer. Most HPV infections clear up by themselves, but in some people the infection can last a long time. HPV infects the cells of the surface of the cervix where it can stay for many years without you knowing.
The HPV virus can damage these cells leading to changes in their appearance. Over time, these changes can develop into cervical cancer. The purpose of cervical screening (testing) is to detect these changes, which, if picked up early enough, can be treated to prevent cancer happening. If they are left untreated, cancer can develop and may lead to serious illness and death.
Why, how and when is the vaccination given and what are the side effects
This factsheet is for people who would like information about the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine.
