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A well-woman exam is a vital part of effective women’s health care. Seeing your gynecologist regularly ensures that your sexual, reproductive, pelvic, and even emotional health are prioritized and any illnesses or other health conditions can be caught in their earliest stages or prevented altogether.
Even though the overall goal of a well-woman exam is to encourage optimal health and wellness at all ages and stages of life, what your particular office visit entails varies throughout your life.
Knowing what to expect when you visit our team of gynecologists at the Center for Women’s Health in Sugar Land and Richmond, Texas, can be helpful as you prepare for each appointment. So, in this month’s blog, we’re giving you all that information in a comprehensive guide broken down by age.
Well-woman exams: ages 13-20
At the Center for Women’s Health, we believe adolescents should start receiving gynecological care at the age of 13. While these early visits don’t include pelvic exams, they allow us to build relationships and become acquainted with their health history.
Bringing your adolescent daughter in for visits also provides opportunities to discuss future sexual wellness, birth control options, and menstrual cycle concerns.
Well-woman exams: ages 21-39
At the age of 21, you need to start undergoing more specific screenings on a regular basis.
Every 1-3 years, your office visit starts off with a blood pressure check and weight check, followed by asking about any updates to your personal or family health history. We also ask about any concerns that you have about your reproductive, sexual, or emotional health.
Then, you undergo screenings such as a pelvic exam, Pap test, and breast exam. If you’re over the age of 30, your Pap test includes testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV). If you’re having any pelvic pain or abnormal bleeding, we can be looking for the cause of those things during your screenings.
In addition, if you want to start using birth control or make any changes to your birth control methods, we can discuss your options for those.
Well-woman exams: ages 40-64
After turning 40, your visits still include Pap tests along with breast and pelvic exams. However, the focus shifts from sexual and reproductive wellness to menopause management as your periods and reproductive years come to an end.
Your visits need to be no more than two years apart, and they start off the same, with blood pressure and weight checks. We then inquire about any health history changes and talk through any questions or concerns you may have.
Then, you undergo a pelvic and breast exam along with a Pap test. In addition, you need to get a mammogram at each visit to screen for breast cancer.
If the transition to menopause is severely impacting your life, we can discuss treatment options such as hormone replacement therapy to ease the severity of your symptoms.
Well-woman exams: ages 65+
When you reach the age of 65, well-woman exams shift slightly.
Visit frequency still needs to be every 1-2 years. We start with blood pressure and weight checks before updating your health history and answering any questions you may have. Even though you’re officially through the menopause transition, you still need Pap tests and mammograms to screen for cervical and breast cancer.
In addition to these screenings, you need to undergo a bone density test at this age. As you get older, your bones become more fragile, and your risk for osteoporosis grows. Women are especially at risk after menopause because the loss of estrogen and genetically smaller bones makes them more prone to fractures.
If your bone density test reveals a high risk for bone fractures, our team walks you through lifestyle changes you can make to protect your bone health.
To schedule your next well-woman exam, simply call your nearest office location or use our online booking feature today.