Ballina Medical Centre – Excellence in Community Medicine

Preconceptual

Preconceptual checkup and advice – this is a very worthwhile assessment as it answers any questions or anxieties you may have before embarking on a pregnancy. Your immunity to Rubella and Chicken Pox can be checked at this visit. If you have any worries about your or your partner’s fertility we can discuss this and investigate as necessary.

This is a very worthwhile assessment as it answers any questions or anxieties you may have before embarking on a pregnancy. Your immunity to Rubella and Chicken Pox can be checked at this visit. If you have any worries about your or your partner’s fertility we can discuss this and investigate as necessary.

We provide a comprehensive family planning service, including the wide range of contraceptive services below. We also offer detailed advice and testing regarding fertility and conception, along with full AnteNatal services during pregnancy.

Contraceptive

Contraceptive advice  All our doctors provide comprehensive contraception advice.
In-depth advice is available about the wide array of contraceptive options available to women and men. These include:

    • Contraceptive pills,
    • Injections,
    • Barrier methods (condoms – male and female, diaphragms),
    • Implants (Implanon),
    • Intra-uterine devices (Mirena, coils),
    • Longterm devices (patch,),

Permanent solutions (referral for male or female sterilisation). Please note that we do not carry out either vasectomy or tubal ligation. These procedures require referral onwards to a specialist.
The doctor will discuss these options in detail with you to help decide which is most suitable for you.

Emergency contraception (female)

We offer advice regarding the need and options for emergency contraception. The post-coital pill, commonly known as the ‘morning after pill’, can actually be taken up to 3 days after unprotected intercourse, but is most effective if taken within 24 hours. The emergency coil can be fitted up to 5 days later, but is not suitable for everyone.

Evra patch (female)

This consists of 3 weekly patches per month with a 1 week break after. Many of these long term contraceptive options are particularly useful for women who are unsuited to the pill or forgetful about taking it

Permanent Solutions

Female sterilisation (tubal ligation) and male sterilisation (vasectomy) are permanent contraceptive procedures for those who are either happy with the size of their family or would prefer not to have children at all. Whatever your reason, you can discuss these options with the GP who can advise you and make a referral for the procedure if necessary.

Please note that we do not carry out either vasectomy or tubal ligation. These procedures require referral onwards to a specialist.
Special procedures (fitting of Implanon, Mirena coils) must be discussed in advance at an earlier consultation with either of our 2 female doctors Dr Maura Irwin or Dr Audrey Rouse.

 

The Medical Team are available for consultation by appointment

Please call 096 80600 to make a surgery appointment.

Our administration team are available  from 9am- 12.00pm and 2pm to 5pm.

When booking an appointment, please let us know if you need a non-standard appointment, as these often require extra time.

Mirena Coil

Mirena Coil and Implanon Insertion

  • If you are a patient wishing to have a Mirena coil or Implanon inserted for the first time, you should book in initially for a no obligation pre-counselling consult which is normally 15 minutes in length. A fee is applicable for this consult.
  • The pre-counselling consult will give your GP an opportunity to talk to you about the pros and cons of each type of contraception. You will have the opportunity to ask questions or satisfy concerns or anxieties.
  • During the pre-counselling consult, if you should decide to proceed, you will be required to sign a consent form.
  • We will schedule a further appointment with you for the insertion. Of course you don’t need to decide during this consult and in fact it is advised you take time to make your decision.
  • If you decide later that you would like to proceed, you must be on a bridging contraception such as pre-existing Coil/Implanon, contraceptive pill or contraceptive injection or patch.
  • Contraception – All our doctor provide comprehensive contraception advice. The Mirena Coil and Implanon can also be inserted here by appointment.

Mirena Coil and Implanon Removal and Insertion

  • If you ALREADY have Implanon or Mirena coil in and are booking in for removal and RE-FIT, it must be within the 3 year replacement timeframe for Implanon or 5 year time frame for Mirena coil.
  • It is important that you remind yourself of when your expiration date is due as you may not be recalled by your GP.