Frequently Asked Questions
Obstetrics and gynaecology (often abbreviated to OB/GYN or O & G) are two surgical medical specialities dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state respectively.
Gynaecology is the branch of physiology and medicine which deals with the functions and diseases specific to women and girls, especially those affecting the reproductive system, from adolescence to menopausal care.
As with all medical practices, the main tools of diagnosis starts with a patients’ clinical history followed by a comprehensive examination.
It is considered best practice to schedule a “first” appointment with a Gynaecologist within the first year of being sexually active or when you are experiencing hormonal or menstrual problems.
For your reproductive health, it’s considered best practice to schedule a first appointment with a gynaecologist within six months of being sexually active, or when you begin experiencing women’s health issues. (According to the World Health Organization.)
A Gynaecology appointment includes the consultation, performing a pap smear, internal examination, breast examination and an ultra sound. The laboratories are responsible for analysing the pap smears and biopsies, if taken.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro (“in glass”). The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman’s ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from her ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a culture medium in a laboratory.
Reproductive medicine addresses such issues ranging from sex education, puberty, family planning, birth control, infertility, reproductive system diseases as well as menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy and menopause including gynaecological disorders that affects fertility.
Endoscopy refers to looking inside the body for medical reasons, using an endoscope. An endoscope is an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body, where direct line of sight is not possible.
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to delivery/labour for another person or people, who will become the child’s parent after birth.
Dr Wynand van Tonder assists with surrogacy.
Egg donation is the process by which a woman donates eggs to enable another woman to conceive as part of an assisted reproduction treatment.
Dr Wynand van Tonder assists in egg donor cycles.
A disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. This can be found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the intestines. The most common symptoms are pain and menstrual irregularities. Effective treatments, such as hormones and endoscopic surgery are available.
Dr Wynand van Tonder is an endoscopic surgeon, operating advanced stage 4 endometriosis.
Infertility is fundamentally the inability to conceive a baby. It also refers to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term (40 weeks gestation). There are many biological causes of infertility, including some that medical intervention can treat.
One in five couples will need to undergo infertility treatment.
Infertility is grouped into two categories:
1. Primary infertility, referring to couples who have not conceived after at least 1 year of unprotected sex (intercourse) and;
2. Secondary infertility which refers to couples who have been pregnant at least once but not able to conceive since. Infertility includes disorders such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), miscarriages and male infertility.
A pregnancy is referred to as “high-risk” if the mother or the baby has an increased chance of health problems i.e advanced maternal age. There could be many causes to be categorised as “high-risk”, but it’s mainly a term that doctors use to ensure the mother and baby receive special care and attention during the pregnancy period.
It also refers to high-risk medical issues such as slowed growth of the baby, preterm labour, pre-eclampsia, problems with the placenta and recurrent miscarriages. Miscarriage refers to the spontaneous end of a pregnancy where the embryo or foetus is incapable of surviving independently.
Miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy.
Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) is a virus from the Papiloma Virus family that is capable of infecting humans.
Most HPV infections in young females are temporary and have little long-term significance. 70% of infections can be controlled in 1 year and 90% in 2 years. However, this applies to low-grade infections.
Persistent infection (5%-10% of infected women) creates high risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix, which can progress to invasive cervical cancer. Prevention is by means of vaccination against the virus, which can be discussed with your Gynae as well as a surgical procedure known as LLetz (harmonic laser of the cervix).
Urogynecology is a specialty dealing with pelvic floor disorders. Pelvic floor disorders occur when the pelvic floor is weakened or stretched due to damage caused by childbirth, obesity, surgery, disease or activities such as high-impact sports or repetitive heavy lifting.
Women affected by pelvic floor disorders such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are often referred to specialists, as are women who are in need of specialized care for complications stemming from vaginal mesh procedures.
Dr Wynand E. van Tonder
Specialist Obstetrician Gynaecologist
Sub-specialist Reproductive Medicine
MB ChB (Stell) | FCOG (SA) | MMed O&G (UFS) | MRep Med (Valencia Spain) | MGyn Endo Surg (AITAS) | Minimally Invasive Gynaecological Surgeon (GESEA)
Contact us
Tel: +27 11 463 4833
Emergency: +27 11 321 0111
reception@drwynandvantonder.co.za
reception2@drwynandvantonder.co.za
Find us
Frequently Asked Questions
Obstetrics and gynaecology (often abbreviated to OB/GYN or O & G) are two surgical medical specialities dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state respectively.
Gynaecology is the branch of physiology and medicine which deals with the functions and diseases specific to women and girls, especially those affecting the reproductive system, from adolescence to menopausal care.
As with all medical practices, the main tools of diagnosis starts with a patients’ clinical history followed by a comprehensive examination.
It is considered best practice to schedule a “first” appointment with a Gynaecologist within the first year of being sexually active or when you are experiencing hormonal or menstrual problems.
For your reproductive health, it’s considered best practice to schedule a first appointment with a gynaecologist within six months of being sexually active, or when you begin experiencing women’s health issues. (According to the World Health Organization.)
A Gynaecology appointment includes the consultation, performing a pap smear, internal examination, breast examination and an ultra sound. The laboratories are responsible for analysing the pap smears and biopsies, if taken.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro (“in glass”). The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman’s ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from her ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a culture medium in a laboratory.
Reproductive medicine addresses such issues ranging from sex education, puberty, family planning, birth control, infertility, reproductive system diseases as well as menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy and menopause including gynaecological disorders that affects fertility.
Endoscopy refers to looking inside the body for medical reasons, using an endoscope. An endoscope is an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body, where direct line of sight is not possible.
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to delivery/labour for another person or people, who will become the child’s parent after birth.
Dr Wynand van Tonder assists with surrogacy.
Egg donation is the process by which a woman donates eggs to enable another woman to conceive as part of an assisted reproduction treatment.
Dr Wynand van Tonder assists in egg donor cycles.
A disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. This can be found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes or the intestines. The most common symptoms are pain and menstrual irregularities. Effective treatments, such as hormones and endoscopic surgery are available.
Dr Wynand van Tonder is an endoscopic surgeon, operating advanced stage 4 endometriosis.
Infertility is fundamentally the inability to conceive a baby. It also refers to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term (40 weeks gestation). There are many biological causes of infertility, including some that medical intervention can treat.
One in five couples will need to undergo infertility treatment.
Infertility is grouped into two categories:
1. Primary infertility, referring to couples who have not conceived after at least 1 year of unprotected sex (intercourse) and;
2. Secondary infertility which refers to couples who have been pregnant at least once but not able to conceive since. Infertility includes disorders such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), miscarriages and male infertility.
A pregnancy is referred to as “high-risk” if the mother or the baby has an increased chance of health problems i.e advanced maternal age. There could be many causes to be categorised as “high-risk”, but it’s mainly a term that doctors use to ensure the mother and baby receive special care and attention during the pregnancy period.
It also refers to high-risk medical issues such as slowed growth of the baby, preterm labour, pre-eclampsia, problems with the placenta and recurrent miscarriages. Miscarriage refers to the spontaneous end of a pregnancy where the embryo or foetus is incapable of surviving independently.
Miscarriage is the most common complication of early pregnancy.
Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) is a virus from the Papiloma Virus family that is capable of infecting humans.
Most HPV infections in young females are temporary and have little long-term significance. 70% of infections can be controlled in 1 year and 90% in 2 years. However, this applies to low-grade infections.
Persistent infection (5%-10% of infected women) creates high risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix, which can progress to invasive cervical cancer. Prevention is by means of vaccination against the virus, which can be discussed with your Gynae as well as a surgical procedure known as LLetz (harmonic laser of the cervix).
Urogynecology is a specialty dealing with pelvic floor disorders. Pelvic floor disorders occur when the pelvic floor is weakened or stretched due to damage caused by childbirth, obesity, surgery, disease or activities such as high-impact sports or repetitive heavy lifting.
Women affected by pelvic floor disorders such as stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are often referred to specialists, as are women who are in need of specialized care for complications stemming from vaginal mesh procedures.