Depending on the reason you have come into The Poundbury Clinic and what tests you have had already,
you may have further tests, (such as more extensive blood tests including ovarian hormone levels,
clotting screen, thyroid tests, swabs to look for infection and chlamydia, and possibly a mammogram
and cervical smear.

Your doctor may also decide to obtain more information by organising more detailed investigations such as
one or more of the following. They should not cause you pain (though some may be a bit uncomfortable)
and, apart from a laparoscopy and occasionally hysteroscopy (see below), don’t need an anaesthetic.

• Endometrial biopsy: biopsies are samples of body tissue and this one is a tiny
scraping of the womb lining (endometrium); often done as an outpatient

• Ultrasound scan: this is a painless way of looking at the womb and the ovaries;
some gel is put on your stomach and a handheld rounded scanner moved over it,
which transmits pictures to a screen nearby; also often done (painlessly) through
the vagina – rather like having a cervical smear

• Hysteroscopy: a telescope-like instrument with a viewing eye piece
is put in the vagina, through the cervix and into the womb so that
the doctor can see what is going on; usually you’re awake for this
but a very light anaesthetic is sometimes necessary so you might
stay in hospital as a day case.

• Colposcopy: this usually happens if a cervical smear is abnormal.
An instrument called a speculum (also used for a smear) is
used to part the vaginal walls so that the doctor can see the
cervix with a magnifying lens. Depending on what’s found,
a sample (or biopsy) may be sent to the laboratory for
further analysis. This is usually a 10-15 minute
outpatient procedure.

Laparascopy: (also known as keyhole surgery):
you need to go into hospital for this, usually for a day.
Under general anaesthetic, a special telescope is inserted into
the abdomen via a tiny cut so that the surgeon can see the womb,
ovaries, fallopian tubes and surrounding tissues.

This is often used to look for the cause
of pelvic pain including endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease,
scar tissue, ovarian cysts etc.

Treatment may also be done laparascopically, including removing
ovarian cysts and getting rid of areas of endometriosis.

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