Sexual Health
Women's Annual Exam
The annual Pap and pelvic exam is a very important, and unfortunately, underutilized health care examination. Many women feel that they don't need to have an annual gynecological checkup. According to the CDC, about 30% of women have not had a pap smear in the last year.
Sometimes women avoid having the annual examination because they aren't sure what will happen. At the Student Health Service the visit generally consists of the following:
- personal and family history
- blood pressure check
- height and weight
- urine screen (to check for diabetes among other things)
- general exam (lungs, heart, thyroid, breast, abdomen)
- pelvic examination (pap smear, feeling the uterus and ovaries)
Depending on your health history and your physician, additional screens, such as blood cholesterol, may also be performed. The examination provides valuable information for you and your health care provider. It can assist in detecting developing or potential problems early and formulating an effective treatment plan, if necessary.
At the beginning of your appointment, the health care provider will ask about your personal and family history to get a general view of your background and health. This provides important information about your possible risk for diseases that may be influenced by heredity. In addition, he or she may ask about your lifestyle including your habits in the areas of nutrition, alcohol/other drugs, stress, physical fitness, and sexual activity. Lifestyle factors influence many areas of health, so it's important to answer as honestly as possible about your behaviors in these areas.
The physician will perform a breast examination similar to the self-examination you should perform each month. This is a good time to ask questions about how and when to perform the self-exam if you are unsure. The internal pelvic examination allows your physician to check the size, position, and contour of your internal organs for any irregularities. The Pap smear itself involves using a wooden spatula and endocervical brush to obtain a sample of cells from the cervix. The cells will then be examined by a laboratory to determine if any abnormal cells are present. This test is a very effective tool in early detection of cancer or abnormalities. As a result of the Pap smear, death rates from cervical cancer have decreased by 70 percent since 1940. Your physician will let you know how long it will take to obtain Pap and other test results and whether a follow-up visit is necessary.
Even if you are not sexually active, the annual examination is a key part of your overall health care and an important way for all women to take responsibility for their health. In partnership with your health-care provider, you can take an active part in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Page updated: 3/27/08
