What a Well-Woman Exam Can Reveal About Your Health

Women have some different health concerns than men, which is why they need specialized care. That care starts with the annual well-woman exam, which checks a lot of health boxes.

Men and women are different in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to their reproductive health, which can cast a wide net over your general wellness.

As experts in women’s health, the team of board-certified OB/GYNs here at Bay Area Physicians for Women’s Health manages every aspect of the unique needs and concerns of women, from adolescence on through menopause and beyond.

This care starts with your annual well-woman exam, which accomplishes a great number of things in just one visit. Here are just a few reasons why you should not skip this important wellness check.

Family planning

If you aren’t ready to start a family, we can discuss your family planning options during your well-woman exam. This can be a confusing choice given the many different forms of contraception, and we can discuss your health and your goals to zero in on a solution that works best for your circumstances.

Pregnancy planning

Should the time come when you do want to get pregnant, we can accomplish some pre-pregnancy counseling during your well-woman exam that covers optimizing your health and your fertility.

We can also discuss whether you should undergo genetic counseling to determine whether there may be any potentially problematic gene mutations you can pass along.

Screening for cancer

During your well-woman exam, we perform important cancer screenings, such as a breast exam to feel for any suspicious lumps. About 13% of women develop breast cancer at some point in their lives and, as with all cancers, early detection is important.

We also conduct routine Pap smears during your well-woman exams, allowing us to check for abnormal cells on your cervix that could become cancerous.

Sexual health

Did you know that one in five people in the United States has a sexually transmitted infection (STI)? That’s about 68 million infections. For women, these infections can cause serious problems if they’re undetected and untreated, such as pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.

During your well-woman exam, we can discuss screening for sexually transmitted diseases, which is quick and easy.

In addition to checking for STIs, we can discuss any other sexual health concerns during your visit, from painful sex to loss of libido.

Overall wellness

We’ve outlined some specific concerns that we address during your well-woman exam, but we also use this visit to record your vital statistics, such as blood pressure, so that we can spot any overall trends in your health.

Get your questions answered

When you come in for your well-woman exam, we want you to come armed with as many questions as you need answered. Whether you think they’re related to your reproductive health or not, we’re here to listen to your concerns and help you stay on top of your health.

So, whether you’re experiencing hot flashes and vaginal dryness or painful menstrual cramps and headaches, please talk to us about your issues.

To get top-notch care through your well-woman exam, we invite you to contact our office in Mobile, Alabama, to schedule your visit.