Well Woman Exams Specialist

What are well-woman exams?

Well-woman exams are a yearly opportunity for you to check-in with your gynecologist and discuss your sexual and reproductive health. Each visit involves a general physical exam, a chance for you to ask questions, and bring up potential complications, and a pelvic exam.

During your well-woman exam visit, you can address issues and questions regarding:

• Birth control
• Sexual activity
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Menstrual periods
• Abnormal bleeding
• Puberty (for adolescents)
• Menopause
• Pelvic pain
• Vaginal discharge
• Pregnancy

V CARE OB/GYN helps you better understand your health. Each well-woman visit is comprehensive and focuses on you, the patient. You should come to each well-woman exam visit with information regarding your medical history, medications you take, and any symptoms you’ve had recently. 

How often should I get well-woman exams?

You should attend a well-woman exam at V CARE OB/GYN once a year, starting between ages 13 and 15. At this age, your exams are basic and might not even involve a pelvic exam. However, your provider might give you the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and monitor your transition through puberty. 

From age 21, your well-woman exams change. You need to get pelvic exams every time, and you get Pap tests at many of your well-woman exams. A Pap test checks for abnormal cellular changes in your cervix and is a preventive measure against cervical cancer.

Over the years, as you attend your well-woman exams, you can become acquainted and build a trusting relationship with your gynecologist. The first few visits might feel awkward, but soon you feel very comfortable expressing your health concerns. 

What do well-woman exams involve?

When you come in for your well-woman exam, the first step is a general vitals check and physical exam. Your provider takes note of your height, weight, blood pressure, and heart rate. You should bring up any concerns you have about your sexual or reproductive health so that your provider can address them. Depending on your age, the rest of your exam may include:

Breast examination

During a general breast examination, your provider feels your breasts for lumps and irregularities in the tissue. 

Pelvic exam

During a pelvic exam, your provider examines your external and internal reproductive organs. They use a speculum to expand your vaginal canal and view the cervix. If they see any signs of a disease or an infection, they might order other tests before making a diagnosis and planning your treatment.

Pap smear

A Pap smear checks for cellular changes in your cervix that could lead to cervical cancer. 

Mammogram referral

A mammogram is a breast cancer screening test. Once you turn 40, you get a mammogram once every 1-2 years.

To find out what you can expect at a well-woman exam for your age, call V CARE OB/GYN or book an appointment online today.