3 Women's Health Procedures You'll Need As You Age

Everyone knows that they should see their general practitioner for an annual check-up, but women also need to make regular appointments with their gynecologist. Women's health needs change as they age, so it's important to keep up with these changes. Here are three medical procedures you'll need to have done as you get older:

1. Well-woman exam

The first trip to the gynecologist is a milestone in any woman's life. It's important to start getting well-woman exams beginning at age 18 or when you become sexually active, whichever comes first. At your annual check-up, your gynecologist will give you a pelvic exam and manually examine your breasts to check for any abnormalities. If you would like to start a birth control regimen, this is a good time to bring up the subject with your doctor. If you're sexually active, you should have routine STD screening performed at this appointment as well.

2. Pap smear

A pap smear is a diagnostic test performed by your gynecologist, where they will use a cotton bud to take a sample of cells from your cervix. These cells are checked for abnormalities in a lab, and your doctor will get back to you with the results. The purpose of this test is to check for cervical cancer or precancerous cells; this is very important, since early detection can make all the difference in treating cervical cancer. According to Everyday Health, you should get your first pap smear after you turn 21. After your first pap smear, you'll then need to repeat the procedure every two years.

3. Mammogram

Breast cancer begins to be a concern as you grow older. Starting at the age of 45, you should get yearly mammograms to check for cancer in your breast tissue. Mammograms are important because they allow doctors to find cancer that would otherwise go unnoticed. As with cervical cancer, early detection and treatment is the key to recovery. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you may want to talk to your doctor to find out if you should start getting mammograms at a younger age. Remember that although mammograms are important, they are no substitute for doing regular self-examination of your breasts to check for changes.

Your health is priceless and irreplaceable. Take good care of yourself by learning about the medical exams you should undergo as you get older. If you've already hit one of these milestones,contact a clinic, like Johnson  City Ob-Gyn , about scheduling an appointment today.