Here's What To Expect At Your Well-Woman Exam

A well-woman exam is a comprehensive women’s health care checkup that assesses a woman’s overall health. This is an important part of preventive care for women as it screens for cancer and gynecological diseases during pelvic exams, breast exams, and a mammogram check. At Professionals for Women’s Health, we recommend that young women in their mid-teens begin having a well-woman exam, and women over 21 have one annually. Ultimately, this depends on their lifestyle and medical history. A well-woman exam is important as it gives you time to discuss both preventive and sexually transmitted disease screening at our Columbus, Dublin, or Westerville, OH locations.

What is included in an annual well-woman exam?

When you schedule a well-woman exam at Professionals for Women’s Health, our medical professionals perform different steps of your exam, including:

• Breast exam: This looks for any abnormal tissue, discharge, or lumps.

• Pelvic exam: This allows us to detect any abnormalities on the cervix, labia, pelvis, ovaries, uterus, vagina, or vulva.

• Pap smear: This cervical cancer screening isn’t done at every exam but is an important preventive tool for women’s wellness every three years.

• Birth control: For patients interested in birth control, we can offer suggestions for the best options to protect against pregnancy.

• Mammogram: Not all patients will get this, but our Columbus, OH, office offers mammogram checks to those we recommend screening for.

• STD testing: This is optional and helps us to screen you for potential STD exposure.

• Vaccinations: Some women may want to get the HPV vaccine.

It’s important to feel comfortable talking to our team about any concerns you may have or symptoms you may be experiencing. This can include spotting between periods, painful sex, discharge, low libido, or a lump.

Will I need to have tests during my visit?

We may recommend tests to patients who are experiencing abnormal symptoms. For patients who are sexually active with multiple partners, we will suggest STD testing. After you turn 21, we will begin performing a pap smear. Mammograms start around 35 – 40, depending on your family history and possible risk factors.

What to expect after a well-woman exam

Once the physical part of your exam is complete, we will take time to answer any questions you have about your sexual health, STDs, or birth control. Depending on the results of your exam and any lab work or screenings we have performed, we will create a custom treatment plan and make lifestyle change suggestions. We recommend that you visit us on a day that you don’t have your period or at least when it’s light unless you’re visiting us because of a bleeding problem.

Prioritize your sexual health by scheduling an annual well-woman exam

At Professionals for Women’s Health, we help our female patients ensure their health is at its best. We understand that it’s uncomfortable to have some of these tests or screenings, but they are important for preventive care. Our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible. To schedule a well-woman exam with our team, call our Columbus, Dublin, or Westerville, OH office today.