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The Women’s Health Physiotherapy service provides physiotherapy care for people during their pregnancy and up to three months after the birth. We also care for gynaecology clients.

About this service

You can access our service if you’re having, or had, your baby at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children. We see people who are pregnant or in the three months following the birth.

We provide physiotherapy care for a range of issues including:

  • pregnancy related (musculoskeletal) pain
  • incontinence
  • prolapse
  • pelvic floor assessment, and
  • mastitis.

We offer individual appointments for mastitis and pelvic floor assessment.

The first point of access for our service for pregnancy related back and pelvic pain is to attend a small group session. This allows us to see you more quickly and get started on helping you with your pain.

We also run a postnatal clinic called ‘Baby and Beyond’. These 15-minute appointments allow you to pop in and have a quick chat about issues such as completing pelvic floor exercises, checking the gap in your abdominals or any other issues relating to musculoskeletal pain or incontinence.

We also have developed a video with some information about preparation for birth, please contact us if you would like to view this resource.

If you have been referred to the Gynaecology service, you may also be seen by a physiotherapist to help with:

  • incontinence, or
  • prolapse.

Who we care for

We care for you if you are having your baby - or had your baby - at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children.

We also provide care to people who have been referred to the Gynaecology service at Canberra Hospital Health Service by their GP (or another specialist).

Our services are free if you have a Medicare card.

How to access this service

If you are having or have had your baby at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, you may be referred to our service by your Midwife or Obstetrician.

However, you can also refer yourself to our service by calling (02) 5124 5921. If we don’t answer it’s because we are busy with patients, so please leave a message and we will aim to return your call within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can send us an email at WHPhysio@act.gov.au

If you have been referred to the Gynaecology service, we will contact you about an appointment. We don’t accept GP referral directly to physiotherapy for Gynaecology patients.

What to expect

When we first contact you, we might ask a few questions about your pregnancy and the issues you are having to make sure we book you into the most appropriate session.

If you are coming to one of our small group sessions for musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy, you will be booked into a 1.5 hour session. Please wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move in as you will get down on the floor to practice some exercises to help your pain.

If, after coming to the small group session, you need more physiotherapy assessment and treatment, we will arrange for you to see a physiotherapist one on one.

Your first individual appointment will be about 45 minutes and follow up appointments are about 30 minutes. This is the same for both pregnancy and gynaecology appointments. Wear clothes that are comfortable and easy to move in.

What to bring to your appointment

  • Medicare card
  • Health Care Card and/or concession card (if you have one)
  • List of medicines you are currently taking (or the boxes), including medicines you have bought without a prescription, such as herbal supplements and vitamins
  • Previous x-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results or reports
  • Your maternity care booklet
  • Please wear comfortable clothes that are easy to move in.

Where we’re located

  • Small group sessions and Baby and Beyond Sessions are held in the Women’s Health Physiotherapy Gym, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Building 11, Level 2, Canberra Hospital. We share a waiting room with the Maternity Assessment unit and are next to the cafĂ©.
  • Individual appointments are held in Maternity and Gynaecology Outpatient Department, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Building 11, Level 2, Canberra Hospital.

We have directions to the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and Canberra Hospital.

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In the case of a life threatening emergency, dial Triple Zero (000).

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Contact us

Switchboard Canberra Hospital
(02) 5124 0000

International callers
+61 (2) 5124 0000

Switchboard North Canberra Hospital
(02) 6201 6111

International callers
+61 (2) 6201 6111

Switchboard other hospitals and services
(02) 5124 0000

International callers
+61 (2) 5124 0000

The switchboard handles all calls to, from and within the hospital 24 hours/seven days a week