Well Woman Exam Specialist

What is a well-woman exam?

Well-woman exams are routine visits with your gynecologist that you should try your best to attend yearly. During a typical well-woman exam with Dr. Fan, he reviews your medical history, briefly checks your vitals and measurements, and then performs a pelvic examination.

During a pelvic exam, you lay on an exam table with your feet spread apart in stirrups. Dr. Fan uses a speculum to expand your vaginal opening so he can examine the organs inside, such as your cervix and uterus. 

Other tests included in well-woman exams vary based on your age and personal risk factors. Every three years or so, starting around age 21, you also get a Pap smear as part of your well-woman exam. It’s a test that looks for cell changes in the cervix. Well-woman exams can also include breast exams, STD testing, and other services. 

During your next well-woman exam, you’re free to bring up any topic around your sexual, reproductive, hormonal, or general wellness. These include birth control, infertility, symptoms like pelvic pain, or menstruation. 

When should I get a well-woman exam?

Well-woman exams happen once a year every year for women in or after puberty. Typically, experts recommend getting your first well-woman exam sometime during adolescence. You may come in for a visit between ages 13 and 15 as you go through puberty and become more sexually mature. However, the first visit or two in adolescence don’t involve a pelvic exam.

Dr. Fan encourages women to start getting well-woman exams with pelvic examinations around age 21 or whenever they become sexually active. You should also schedule a similar visit if you experience new or worsening symptoms around your periods, like pelvic pain or excessive bleeding. 

Why are well-woman exams important?

Well-woman exams are a preventive service that benefits you in lots of ways. Your long-term sexual, reproductive, and hormonal health improves with these regular gynecology check-ins. During each of your well-woman exams with Dr. Fan, he looks for early signs of conditions that you might not notice on your own. 

Regular pelvic exams improve your chances of successful treatment for women’s health conditions like:

• Endometriosis
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Pelvic cancers
• Breast cancer
• Fibroids
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Menstrual irregularities

Some of these conditions can occur with very few symptoms, vague symptoms, or no symptoms at all. Well-woman visits also benefit you by offering information and answers to your questions about all women’s health topics.  

If it’s time for your next well-woman exam, schedule your appointment by calling Yuan-Da Fan, MD, or booking one online today.