Q: My gynae is booked up three months in advance. If I have an urgent problem, how do I get an appointment sooner?

A: Most gynaes have some capacity to squeeze you in. If the delay is unacceptable, explain to the receptionist why you can’t wait and they’ll relay an urgent message to your doctor. A few details go a long way to facilitating a faster callback.

“It is necessary to divulge some info to the receptionist,” says Joburg-based gynaecologist Dr Christa Diedericks.

“There’s simply no other way to determine whether it’s a true emergency.” They could ask you to book in at their local casualty, where a doctor will examine you, do basic blood tests and pass this info on to your gynae.