Want to be the healthiest version of you? There’s (certainly) an app for that—but there’s also a yearly doctor’s appointment, too: your annual well-woman visit.
Well-woman visits are preventive health care that are essential for preventing illness, lowering your risk of chronic disease, and optimizing your health. As you age, these visits can help set key baselines for assessing your health. These include data around your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, glucose concentration, and more.
Your gynecologist is trained to care for women throughout their reproductive years and beyond. Providing complete comprehensive care over all the things you would expect, like sexual and reproductive health, family planning, birth control, breast exams, pelvic exams Pap Smears, and STD screening; but that is not all. Not to sound like an infomercial, but; did you know that they can and should also be seen for your general health and risk factors, vaccines and any other necessary screenings. This truly allows them to provide you the best possible care. If they discover anything they will refer you out as necessary.
There are four main goals of an annual well-woman visit:
- Document your health history and lifestyle habits
- Receive a physical exam and preventive vaccines
- Schedule preventive screening for diseases
- Get support in setting health goals and making informed health decisions
“Well-woman visits are so important for a woman's health because a lot of what we are screening are preventive and can protect their future,” says Lauren Beasley, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist who practices with Centre Obstetrics and Gynecology in Raleigh, NC. “These visits allow us to look for things that can improve their lives now. We screen patients to determine what factors in their lives may indicate future illness or disease, and proactively prevent cancers or cardiovascular problems.”
While certain things will stay the same at these visits over the years, your practitioner will emphasize other health issues depending on your age. Here, we’ll take you through the decades for an overview of what to expect at your well-woman visits.
Well-Woman Care Ages 13-20: Developing Healthy Habits
Well-Woman Care Ages 21-39: Building Healthy Foundations
Well-Woman Care Ages 40-49: Navigating Hormonal Changes
Well-Woman Care Ages 50-59: Protecting Your Health for the Long Term
Well-Woman Care Ages 60+: Celebrate a Healthy Life
No matter what your age, well-woman appointments are an essential part of living a healthy life. "Schedule your well-woman visits so we know what is important to you and can guide your care, as well as find and treat any diseases that you may not have been aware of," says Dr. Beasley. “And don't be too scared to see your doctor. If we can pick up on developing risk factors before they become a problem, many will be completely treatable. Plus, knowing you are taking care of your health will ease your mind.”
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