Women’s Health
Women's Health Clinic Services
We offer the following Women’s Health services with Dr. Christina Kanagaratnam and Dr. Amanpreet Dhaliwal.
- IUD Insertion and Removal
- Nexplanon Insertion
- Menopause Support and Treatment
- PAP Tests and STI Treatment
Dr. Christina Kanagaratnam is a UK-trained family physician with vast clinical experience in women’s health over the last twenty years. currently, she is focusing her practice on pre-menopause/post-menopause women’s health care, and advanced contraception.
She holds a Diploma of Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology UK (DRCOG) and Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning (DFFP). She is also a certified Menopause Practitioner with the North American Menopause Society.
Dr. Kanagaratnam regularly attends various women’s health-related conferences and courses to stay updated with current clinical practice guidelines and provide excellent women’s health care to her patients.
These Women’s Health Services are offered to all patients regardless of if you have a family physician or not.
Please call the front desk at (403) 398-5371 to book a consultation. Leave a message if we can’t get to the phone.
Alternatively you can request a referral to our clinic from your family physician. Below is our referral form with fax number.
IUD Implant Insertion & Removal
We offer long-acting reversible contraceptive methods including hormonal (Mirena / Kyleena) and non-hormonal (Copper) IUDs. IUDs are one of the most effective forms of contraception.
The Mirena IUD: The amount of hormones released is significantly lower than birth control pills, patches, Nuvaring and Depo-Provera shots, which means that most women experience far fewer hormonal side effects. Mirena also helps with painful, heavy periods and is a good choice for women with endometriosis and irregular cycles related to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
The cost is approximately $400 and can last for 8 years.
The Kyleena IUD: Is smaller and releases less hormones than Mirena. Can also be helpful with heavy periods.
The cost is approximately $400 and can last 5 years.
The Copper IUD: Women choose copper IUDs because of the cost and they contain no hormones. Copper IUDs may cause heavier (by 20-50%) and more painful periods. If you have painful, heavy periods you may need to choose a hormonal IUD instead. The copper IUD is also very effective as an emergency contraception if inserted within 5 days of unprotected intercourse.
Costs about $75 and lasts either 5 or 10 years.
During your initial IUD consultation visit, we will discuss which IUD will be most appropriate for your needs.
For more information please check the following website
What you need to know about IUD
NEXPLANON IMPLANT INSERTION
Nexplanon is the birth control implant that goes in the non-dominant arm. It is another highly effective, long acting, reversible contraceptive method with a duration of 3 years.
This small, thin, and flexible arm implant is placed discreetly under the skin of the inner, non-dominant upper arm. Once inserted, the implant continuously releases a small amount of hormone into your body. It contains a type of progesterone called etonogestrel.
This is a highly effective method and return of fertility is quick after removal of the implant. The Nexplanon implant is a good choice for women who do not want to have a pelvic exam, are unable to take estrogen-containing methods, are breastfeeding, or have painful, heavy periods.
Costs approximately $300 and lasts up to 3 years.
During your initial IUD consultation visit, we will discuss which IUD will be most appropriate for your needs.
For more information please check the following website
MENOPAUSE / PERIMENOPAUSE CARE
Menopause can be a challenging time in a woman’s life. Your symptoms can severely impact your quality of life during this time. The first step is to identify your symptoms and seek medical advice. The effects of menopause can vary for each woman.
Approximately one-quarter of women who go through menopause will have no symptoms at all, Still around 75% will experience a range of them, including severe sleep disturbance, brain fog, weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, aching joints, mood swings, anxiety, and vaginal dryness.
The average age of a person going through a natural menopause is 51-years-old, but it can happen at any time. On average a person will experience menopausal symptoms for seven years.
Diagnosis of menopause can be made without laboratory hormone tests in otherwise healthy women aged over 45 years with appropriate symptoms.
Treatments
We are all unique in the way we experience menopause. At your menopause consultation, Dr. Kanagaratnam will draw up an individualized treatment plan with quality, evidence-based menopause care and information to help you navigate through your perimenopause and menopause journey.
New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend that “women with no contraindications who are experiencing menopausal symptoms that are impacting their quality of life may be considered for treatment with Hormone replacement therapy. The benefit-risk ratio is most favorable when therapy is initiated with women within 10 years of the last period or under the age of 60.”
Dr. Kanagaratnam does not prescribe bioidentical hormones, nor hormone testing requested by other practioner.
It’s essential to get qualified medical advice around menopause treatments.