Women's health checks

SA Health encourages women to take care of their health by having regular health checks. Screening services include:

SA Cervix Screening Program

Cancer of the cervix is one of the most preventable of all cancers. A Pap smear can find early warning signs long before cancer of the cervix develops. 

One of the main tasks of the SA Cervix Screening Program is to encourage women to have a Pap smear every two years. This includes women who have had the cervical cancer vaccine. Pap smears have the potential to reduce up to 90% of cervical cancer and is currently the best protection against the disease.

BreastScreen SA 

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in women and increases in frequency with age. One in 11 South Australian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 75.

BreastScreen SA provides free screening mammograms at two-yearly intervals, primarily for women aged 50 to 69, with the aim of reducing deaths from breast cancer in this target group, through early detection of the disease.

Sexual health services - STI Screening 

Adelaide Sexual Health Centre provides a free and confidential service. This includes advice, testing and treatment for all sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV). You can visit Adelaide Sexual Health Centre for diagnosis and treatment of any symptoms you might have, or for a checkup if you don't have any symptoms.

Even if you feel that you have no symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease, remember that many infections can occur without any symptoms. The only way to be certain is to have a test.

SHine SA’s Sexual Healthline is a confidential informational and referral line for sexual and reproductive health issues.

Heart health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, killing four times as many women as breast cancer!  The good news is that heart disease can largely be prevented. 

The Heart Foundation provides a Health Information Service to give people with cardiovascular disease, those with identified risk factors and those people who simply want to develop healthier lifestyles, access to vital information about heart heath.

Bone density scan (RAH) 

Osteoporosis affects women (and some men) in their middle and later years, and can be diagnosed by a bone density test – a short painless scan that measures the density of the bones, usually the hip and spine.

In South Australia, the Royal Adelaide Hosptial (RAH) operates four DXA bone densitometers including the Mobile Bone Densitometry Unit in rural SA.

At the RAH there is no charge to outpatients or pensioners (private patients are charged $40 or the Medicare Scheduled fee if applicable).