Blog posts by Dr Sean Burnet

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that can affect about 15% of pregnant women usually around 24 to 28 weeks. In most cases, the blood glucose level will go back to normal after the baby is born. However, some women will continue to have high blood glucose level which will lead them to have …

Mineral and Vitamin Deficiency in Pregnancy

Pregnancy and lactation most commonly unmask a deficiency in key vitamins and minerals. This is due to increased bodily demand during these times. In particular, vitamin B12, folate and copper deficiencies are often only detected once pregnant. As these three nutrients are all vital for proper red blood cell production, anaemia is often the first …

Keeping Current with COVID-19

Especially at this time of global turmoil, it’s understandable that pregnant women will feel a great sense of anxiety about their own health and that of their unborn or newborn baby. While it’s good to keep yourself informed with updated information from trusted sources, please be assured that the latest research indicates that the risk …

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder associated with insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. PCOS affects 12-20% of Australian women of reproductive age, and is a leading cause of infertility. The condition also leads to an increased lifetime risk of gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes and endometrial cancer. How is PCOS diagnosed? The first …

Sunscreen and Safety during Pregnancy

As we all know, sun safety is very important particularly in high UV countries like Australia where about 14 000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed annually. Further, it’s important to make sure you have adequate vitamin D levels generally from spending a short amount of time outside each day. Recent reports in the media have …

Colposcopy

Why has my doctor sent me for a colposcopy? If you have had an abnormal cervical screening test (CST) or symptoms of abnormal bleeding or discharge your doctor may send you for a Colposcopy. A colposcopy is a test that allows your Doctor to look at your cervix using magnification. Biopsies or removing small tissue …

Menopause

Natural menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of menstrual periods and is determined retrospectively after a woman has experienced amenorrhea for 12 months. It is important that any other physiological cause or pathology is excluded as a cause. The average age of occurrence is 51 to 52 years in normal women, and reflects the …