Pelvic pain/dysmenorrhea/PMS

Emergency Referral Criteria

Criteria for Emergency include: 

• Ectopic pregnancy 
• Ruptured haemorrhagic ovarian cyst 
• Ovarian torsion 
• Acute/severe pelvic pain 
• Significant or uncontrolled vaginal bleeding 
• Severe infection 
• Abscess intra pelvis or PID 
• Bartholin's abscess / acute painful enlargement of a Bartholin's gland/cyst 
• Acute trauma including vulva/vaginal lacerations, haematoma and/or penetrating injuries 
• Post-operative complications within 6 weeks including wound infection, wound breakdown, vaginal bleeding/discharge, retained products of conception post-op, abdominal pain 
• Urinary retention 
• Acute urinary obstruction 
• Any molar pregnancy 
• Inevitable and / or incomplete miscarriage 
• Hyperemesis gravidarum 
• Ascites, secondary to known underlying gynaecological oncology 

If you, or someone else, are experiencing a serious and life-threatening injury or illness call triple zero (000) immediately or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Learn more about when to access emergency care and non-emergency care options if the injury or illness is not serious or life-threatening.

Statewide Referral Criteria
Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services

? Red flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

Urgent (Category 1)

• Suspicion of malignancy

Semi-urgent (Category 2)

• Multiple emergency presentations 
• Pelvic pain and significant USS finding e.g. presence of endometriomas/fixed retroverted uterus

Routine (Category 3)

• Chronic pain not responding to maximal medical management

Information to be included in the referral

(Referral may be returned without this)

Essential supporting information

Pathology

• Cervical screening
• Sexually transmitted infection screening
• MSU

Imaging

• Pelvic Ultrasound  
• Transvaginal pelvic USS should be done when indicated.  

Note: If delay obtaining a USS may impact critical care this should be clearly indicated in the referral, however the scan should still be booked. Phone discussion on a case-by-case basis may be needed. 

Investigations/other

• Any relevant

Additional information

• History of/to:
  • pain, severity and duration, cyclical nature, dysmenorrhoea
  • differentiate from GI pain
  • previous sexual abuse
  • PID
  • Medical management to date and efficacy

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Gynaecology clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

For more information please see the relevant links below from the HealthPathways Tasmania website:

Persistent pelvic pain

Dysmenorrhoea

Additional resources

View all clinic availability