Your Annual Well Woman Exam  

Wondering why you need an annual well woman exam? Even if you don’t need an annual Pap smear anymore, this yearly appointment is a vital part of your preventive care plan. Your annual well-care visit with our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs provides you and our team with valuable healthcare information, as well as opportunities to address many health issues and questions. We also perform necessary health screenings and tests designed to keep you as healthy as possible. 

Our team addresses your reproductive health issues at your yearly visit 

Your yearly examination begins with the basics. Our medical assistants check your weight, blood pressure and take your medical history. Most of the time, our physicians perform both breast and pelvic examinations. It’s also a good time for you to discuss any reproductive health issues with your OBGYN. 

• Birth control

• Hormones

• Menopause and perimenopause

• Abnormal bleeding

• Menstrual problems

• Pelvic pain

• Urinary and bladder problems, including incontinence

• Preconception planning

• Infertility

• Sexual health and sexually transmitted infections

During your annual well woman exam, we address your general mental and physical health 

Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs are also concerned with your overall health. Our physicians talk to you about many issues, including your heart health and vaccines you may need. It’s also important to discuss things like nutrition, getting to and maintaining your ideal weight, and exercise.  

Other areas of concern include smoking, alcohol and illegal substances, mental health problems such as stress and anxiety, and domestic and dating violence. Our doctors care about you as a person, so our annual well woman exam addresses things that affect your quality of life. 

Health screenings are a vital component of preventive care 

Sometimes, our physicians take a urine sample and order bloodwork to check for certain health problems. OBGYNs no longer perform annual Pap smears for most women, but they do perform cervical cancer screening. Depending on your age and health condition, you will probably have a Pap smear and a test for human papillomavirus, or HPV, every three to five years. Guidelines vary, so you should talk to your physician about the testing schedule that is right for you.  

Here are some other screenings you may have or schedule during your yearly appointment. 

• Mammograms to screen for breast cancer

• BRCA genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer risk

• Bone density screening

• Testing for sexually transmitted infections

• Diabetes bloodwork and screening

Our Austin and Dripping Springs OBGYNs help get you to your best level of health and wellness 

Preventive care is always our goal, and the annual well woman exam is the best tool we have to help you stay healthy all year. During this yearly checkup, you and your physician can discuss every aspect of your general and reproductive health. It’s all part of making yourself a priority. Take good care of you! Contact us to schedule an appointment today.