Women's Health

These services are available in our branches, which are commutable from anywhere in Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, York, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Barnsley, Hull, Doncaster, Ripon, Harrogate, Dewsbury, Keighley and Scarborough.

Yes, you can get next-day appointments at all our branches. Contact our customer care team if you cannot find an available slot.

Ovulation is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries.

If you want to work out when you ovulate, there are several things you can use:

• the length of your menstrual cycle – ovulation usually occurs around 12 to 16 days before your period starts, so you may be able to work out when you're likely to ovulate if you have a regular cycle

• your cervical mucus – you may notice wetter, clearer and more slippery mucus around the time of ovulation

• your body temperature – there's a slight rise in body temperature after ovulation takes place, which you may be able to detect with a thermometer

• ovulation predictor kits – hormone levels increase around the time of ovulation, and this can be detected using ovulation predictor kits that measure the level of hormones in your pee

Using a combination of these methods is likely the most accurate.

Some women may experience other symptoms when ovulating, including breast tenderness, bloating and mild tummy pain, but these are not reliable for predicting ovulation.

There are many different causes of bleeding between periods. Some may not be anything to worry about but seek medical advice if you're concerned.

If you forget to remove your tampon (for example, at the end of your period), it can become compressed at the top of your vagina.

This can make it difficult for you to feel the tampon or pull it out.

Do not panic if a tampon gets stuck inside you. A tampon can't get lost inside you and will stay in your vagina after you've inserted it.

There are many reasons why a woman may bleed after sex. The medical name for this is "postcoital bleeding".

If you're concerned because you experience vaginal bleeding after sex, seek advice from a GP or a sexual health clinic (genitourinary or GUM clinic). They will ask about your medical history and assess your symptoms. They can then advise you if any treatment is needed.

Having an abortion will not usually affect your chances of becoming pregnant and having normal pregnancies in the future. It may slightly increase the baby's risk of being born early in future pregnancies.

There's a minimal risk to your fertility and future pregnancies if you develop a womb infection after the procedure that's not treated promptly.

The infection could spread to your fallopian tubes and ovaries, known as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

PID can increase your risk of infertility or an ectopic pregnancy, where an egg implants itself outside the womb. But most infections are treated before they reach this stage, and you may be given antibiotics before an abortion to reduce the risk of infection.

Get medical advice as soon as possible if you experience any signs or symptoms of infection after an abortion, such as:

• severe pain in the tummy, pelvis or lower back

• a high temperature (fever)

• unusual or smelly vaginal discharge

• feeling or being sick

• bleeding between periods or after sex

Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the muscles around your bladder, bottom, and vagina or penis. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can help urinary incontinence, treat pelvic organ prolapse, and make sex better too.

Everyone can benefit from doing pelvic floor exercises.