Women's Health Institute

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Why your annual exam is important

Although it might not seem as important as a visit to your primary care doctor, you should visit your gynecologist for an annual exam every year. A gynecologist is a doctor who can provide the care for your feminine health that you might otherwise neglect. The importance of making an appointment with this doctor sometimes doesn’t make its presence known until something is wrong or until you see symptoms relating to the need to make a visit.

Even though our gynecologist is concerned about your feminine health, your overall health can be maintained as well at each gynecology visit. This is beneficial if you don’t have a primary care doctor or if you don’t want to make several appointments with different doctors in order to monitor your health. You can have blood work done, your vital signs checked, your weight checked, and a pelvic examination to ensure that your reproductive system is healthy all in one visit.

If you’re pregnant or plan to try to get pregnant in the future, then you want to visit our gynecologist as you need to ensure that you’re healthy enough to carry a baby. If you’ve been trying to get pregnant with little success or have had miscarriages, then this would be one of the important reasons as to why you would want to see a gynecologist. Menstrual cycles that are irregular need to be mentioned to our doctor. You should also talk about extended periods of time without a menstrual cycle or if you notice that your flow is heavier than normal. If you haven’t started your menstrual cycle by the time you’re about 16 or 17, then you need to visit a gynecologist so that tests can be performed to determine if there’s anything to be concerned about.

Breast exams are an important part of every gynecology visit. Any lumps can be further examined as early breast cancer detection is vital. Our doctor can show you the proper way to perform your own exams at home so that you can look for any signs of changes in your breasts. A pelvic exam is also important as it can detect various types of cancer, such as cervical and ovarian cancer. Another reason you want to see our gynecologist is if you are considering taking birth control and need to know about your options.

The importance of seeing a gynecologist cannot be overstated, so schedule an appointment to get started.