Not sure if it’s just me, but time seems to pass faster than ever as we get older. And in turn, I’m sure many of us are guilty of sacrificing our health for convenience — like swapping home-made meals with fast food and lounging at home instead of exercising.
If you’re over 25 and have yet to go for annual checkups at a women’s clinic, perhaps it’s time to start. After all, your reproductive health can have a large impact on both your physical and mental well-being.
In case you’re looking to get started on visiting a women’s clinic, we’ve curated a guide to women’s clinics in Singapore.
A women’s clinic is a clinic that specialises in women’s health. Typically, these clinics provide health screens, prenatal care, treatment of gynaecological issues, and fertility treatments.
Women’s clinics are manned by a range of medical professionals, from gynaecologists and obstetricians to fertility specialists and midwives.
A gynaecologist is a doctor who focuses on women’s health. They are trained to solve issues related to the female reproductive system, like irregular menstruation or cervical cancer.
Unlike gynaecologists, obstetricians are doctors that monitor foetal development and take care of mothers during and after childbirth. They do not treat issues that are not related to pregnancy.
In some cases, a doctor can specialise in both gynaecological issues and pregnancies. These doctors are known as O&G specialists, which stands for obstetrics and gynaecology.
Many women’s clinics offer health screening packages that provide a comprehensive review of your health, from your blood count to cervical health. During a routine checkup, gynaecologists typically perform breast exams to check for any lumps or abnormalities, pelvic exams for infections and pap smears for cervical cancer.
If you’re suffering from severe cramps, heavy menstrual bleeding or amenorrhoea, it’s best to head to a women’s clinic for a checkup. The doctors at the women’s clinic will be able to help diagnose and treat any gynaecological issues that you may have. These include conditions like ovarian cysts, fibroids, hormonal imbalance and endometriosis.
Women’s clinics can provide fertility checks for women who are planning to start a family. If you and your partner have been struggling to conceive, you might consider alternative methods of conception, like in-vitro fertilisation, intrauterine insemination, and other assisted reproductive technologies.
On the flip side, they also prescribe contraceptives for those who are looking to reduce their risk of pregnancy. These contraceptives come in the forms of pills, injections, patches, intrauterine devices, and tubal ligation.
To extend a woman’s period of fertility, some women’s clinics provide egg freezing services.
Obstetricians in women’s clinics specialise in taking care of expectant mothers and their foetuses. They perform regular checkups, ultrasounds, and prenatal tests to ensure that a pregnancy goes smoothly.
Additionally, they help to address their patients’ concerns and provide them with advice on nutrition, exercise, and other factors that can impact a pregnancy.
Women’s clinics are staffed with professionals like midwives to assist in the delivery of babies. This includes both natural births and caesarean sections. During labour and delivery, the obstetrician is responsible for monitoring the health of the mother and baby, as well as ensuring their safety.
An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy; it can be done with medicine or through surgery. Many reasons can cause someone to decide to have an abortion — like health or financial concerns. Regardless, women’s clinics serve to guide their patients to make the best choice for themselves, and guide them through an abortion safely — should they choose to have one.
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Thomson Women’s Clinic is staffed by an experienced team of O&G specialists that aim to prioritise their patient’s health and well-being. You can expect personalised treatment plans and specialised services.
Expectant mothers should check out their non-invasive prenatal tests which minimise the risk of miscarriages. Through these tests, you can check for chromosomal abnormalities in your foetus.
P.S. Thomson Medical has 11 women’s clinics in Singapore, so you’ll be able to find a clinic that’s close to you with ease.
Address: Find the full list of clinics here
Contact: Fill in the enquiry form here
Booking: Online
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With 12 O&G clinics and one breast care centre across the island, SMG Women’s Health clinics are easily accessible — perfect for busy gals who don’t want to “waste” a whole day on a simple checkup.
What’s so special about SMG Women’s Health Clinics is that they offer egg freezing, as well as urogynaecology services like pelvic floor reconstruction and incontinence surgery.
On their website, the medical group uploads informative articles, such as What Are Ovarian Cysts? and All You Need To Know About Fibroids.
Address: Find the full list of clinics here
Contact: Email contact@smgwomenshealth.sg
Booking: Online
Website | Facebook | Instagram
W Gynae Women’s Clinic makes getting an overview of your general and gynaecological well-being easy with their health screening packages. For example, their Lady’s Premier Health package includes a medical history review, physical examination, diabetes screen, liver and kidney function test, HIV screen, pap smear, HPV DNA testing, and more for $418.
The specialist leading W Gynae Women’s Clinic is Dr Ben Choey, a gynecologic surgeon with over 10 years of experience, so rest assured that you’ll be in good hands.
Address: 721 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, #01-2807, Singapore 560721
Opening hours: 9:30am to 1pm and 2:30pm to 5:30pm (Mondays. Wednesdays to Thursdays) | 9:30am to 1pm, 2:30pm to 5:30pm and 6pm to 8pm (Tuesdays and Fridays) | 1:30pm to 5:30pm (Saturdays)
Contact: Call 6455 0050
Booking: Online
Website
Alpha IVF Centre & Alpha Women’s Specialists is the clinic to go to for fertility treatments. They provide a large variety of services to help hopeful couples conceive. For instance, they offer intrauterine inseminations and intracytoplasmic sperm injections to help couples who suffer from male factor infertility. To restore a woman’s fertility, they also do repairs of the fallopian tube.
Besides in-vitro fertilisation and other fertility treatments, the clinic also specialises in treating gynaecological cancers.
Address: 101 Irrawaddy Road, #12-12, Royal Square Medical Centre, Singapore 329565
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm (Mondays to Fridays) | 8am to 1pm (Saturdays)
Contact: Email enquiry@alphaspecialists.com.sg
Booking: Call 6860 8888
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If you feel more comfortable with a female gynaecologist, you may prefer Wendy Women’s Clinic. Led by Dr Wendy Teo, the clinic provides services related to gynaecology, obstetrics, infertility, and vaginoplasty. For the unacquainted, vaginoplasty is a laser treatment that relieves vaginal atrophy and vaginal relaxation syndrome.
FYI, Dr Wendy Teo was named the Best Medical Officer in 2008 while working at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Address: Mount Elizabeth, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #08-42, Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
Opening hours: 9:00am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 5pm (Mondays to Fridays) | 9am to 12:30pm (Saturdays)
Contact: Email enquiry@wendywomensclinic.com.sg
Booking: Call 6250 1685
Website
Aptly named WS Law Women’s Clinic & Laparoscopic Centre, the clinic offers laparoscopic surgery to treat gynaecological conditions like ovarian cysts, endometriosis, fibroids, ectopic pregnancies, early cancers, and womb prolapse.
What’s more, the clinic performs single-port surgeries — a more advanced type of key-hole surgery — to reduce scarring and allow for faster recovery. According to the clinic’s website, most patients are able to go home on the same day of their operation.
Address: 38 Irrawaddy Road, #08-53, Mount Elizabeth Novena, Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm (Mondays to Fridays) | 9am to 12pm (Saturdays)
Contact: Fill in the enquiry form here
Booking: Call 6339 6659
Website | Facebook | Instagram
It is recommended that girls start visiting women’s clinics for general consultations once they reach 15 years old.
At 21, a woman should go for their first pap smear — to test for cervical cancer since it can be cured more easily if diagnosed at an earlier stage. Between 21 and 65 years old, a woman should go for pap smears once every three years and attend annual health screenings.
If you are facing discomfort or pain during sex, irregular periods, a low libido, bumps and blisters in your vagina or any other gynaecological issues, you should also book a consultation at a women’s clinic.
If you are planning to go for a general checkup with a pelvic examination, it’s best to book an appointment on days when you are not on your period, as your blood may interfere with the results of certain tests.
On the day of your checkup, opt for loose clothing like dresses or skirts to better facilitate any pelvic examinations. Remember to bring your IC and any relevant medical records. Also, prepare a list of questions that you want to ask your doctor during your consultation.
Going to the women’s clinic is just like a rite of passage into womanhood. While feeling shy and apprehensive during a checkup is normal, rest assured that there’s nothing to be ashamed about. After all, health is the greatest wealth. You should feel proud of yourself for wanting to take charge of your reproductive health.
Hopefully, this guide gives you a better idea of what to expect of visits to the women’s clinic — so you can feel less anxious and worried.
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