Welcome to our latest e-newsletter!

A conversation with Janene Brown

Gynaecologist and fertility specialist Janene Brown is the subject of this newsletter’s personal profile. She reveals what she loves about her job, the difficulties she sees for women in managing their health, and how one of her favourite hobbies helps to hone her surgical skills.

What do you enjoy about coming to work each day?

The best thing about what I do is the lovely relationships you develop with patients and helping them to work out the right treatment for them. I love hearing about all of the interesting things that women do. It can take a lot of courage to come and see a gynaecologist and by the time they visit me they are often looking for a treatment that will make a big difference in their lives.  It is incredibly satisfying work.

Do you think women are looking after their health in today’s busy world?

Life can be incredibly busy, especially when you have young kids or teenagers. If you then add in gynaecological issues, even if that’s just normal PMT, it can make life feel tough. Women need to be gentle on themselves. 

There is not much opportunity to care for yourself - if you have PMT or feel a bit bluesy - if you are always on a timetable. I think we all need to recognise the value of time out and the fact that allowing our brains to rest and daydream is important. 

When should a woman see a gynaecologist?

There are a number of triggers such as heavy painful periods and pelvic pain for which you’ll often be referred by your GP. Sometimes women feel that they know their GP too well and would rather come straight to a specialist. I always encourage women to talk to someone sooner rather than later about any gynae issue that is bothering them. There is no point in putting up with things for a long time. For example, peri menopausal symptoms such as heavy bleeding, irregular periods and mood changes can take their toll and women can really benefit from some help in managing symptoms.

What would you most like to achieve in your gynaecology career?

I’d really like to find what causes endometriosis and how we might be able to control it better.

I would like to think that in the future endometriosis will be diagnosed by a simple blood test, or other non invasive test.It is an awful but fascinating disease and has revealed a lot about physiology and the brain, in particular how we deal with pain.

What do you do when you’re not at Oxford Women’s Health?

When I was young I tossed up between a career in medicine and being a fashion designer. I still buy fabric and design my own clothes. Regularly practicing my sewing skills helps when I’m operating too. I have also been a bodybuilder but now run instead and have completed a couple of marathons. Working at Oxford Women’s Health, rather than in the public system, means that I have more control over when I work, I can spend more time with my two girls and do some of the other things I enjoy.

           Dr Janene Brown

Patient shares her story about MonaLisa Touch

Issues associated with Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) are not easy for women to discuss but we are delighted to say that several of our patients, who have received the MonaLisa Touch treatment, have been more than happy to share their results. Lisa*, who is a Canterbury GP, tells her story below:

I decided to try MonaLisa Touch after attending a CME presentation by (Oxford Women’s Health) gynaecologist Olivia Smart.  GSM meant I had been experiencing quite a lot of discomfort during sex.  I’m only in my mid 50s but it’s ten years since I went through menopause.  The problem with GSM is that it can get worse as time goes by.

I had been using an oestrogen cream but it wasn’t sufficient. I had also looked up laser treatments online but thought they were only available in the North Island. I was really pleased to find Oxford Women’s Health was offering MonaLisa Touch in Christchurch.

After the CME, I booked an appointment with Olivia for an assessment to see if I was a suitable candidate for the treatment.  I then came back for the first of three sessions.  The staff were really good and made the whole experience seem very easy.   After an anaesthetic had been applied and the laser inserted, the treatment took about five to ten minutes. There was no pain just a slightly uncomfortable feeling in some areas.

After the first treatment, the area felt hot for a couple of hours and there was some slight bleeding. After both the second and third treatments there was only a small amount of bleeding. I also kept using an oestrogen cream, as I know a combination of the cream and laser treatment is supposed to work best. 

At the end of the day, I am very pleased to report that it has all worked and sex is much more pleasurable for me again.

In my job, I regularly meet women who are having issues like mine and I am now able to confidently say that it is an effective treatment. I am now recommending it to anyone that I think could benefit from it.  

* To protect our patient’s privacy, we have used a different name.

Lipiodol treatment improves chances of conception

A procedure being offered by Genea Oxford Fertility is giving many women a greater chance of achieving a successful pregnancy without the need for IVF.

Genea Oxford Fertility is prescribing Lipiodol tubal flushing to women with unexplained infertility. The treatment involves a fine catheter being inserted through the cervix and Lipiodol is injected into the womb, under X-Ray or ultrasound guidance. It then moves into the fallopian tubes identifying, and sometimes clearing, blockages.

Genea Oxford Fertility is working with Pacific Radiology to provide the procedure.

Louise Hull, Fertility Specialist at Genea Oxford Fertility, says we’re not exactly sure why lipiodol improves pregnancy rates.  It may be clearing debris from the fallopian tubes.  It could also alter the environment in the womb, tubes and pelvis in a way that reduces stress for eggs, sperm and embryos.

The ‘H2Oil’ study, conducted by Dr Ben Mol in Australia and the Netherlands last year, found that Lipiodol tubal flushing was successful in improving pregnancy rates among women with more than 12 months unexplained infertility. Almost 40 percent of women, who had been struggling to get pregnant and underwent the procedure, achieved successful pregnancies within six months. 

In contrast, 29.1 percent of women achieved the same result when undergoing the procedure using a water solution. These results were found after only one treatment.

Associate Professor Hull says Lipiodol tubal flushing has low complication rates and can be performed with painkillers or under general anaesthetic. It is also a significantly cheaper option compared to treatments like IVF.

She says Lipiodol is not commonly offered by fertility specialists but Genea Oxford Fertility is excited to be making it available to patients. “New research is showing just how successful it can be in helping couples to conceive naturally,” she says.