How Often Should You Have a Well-Woman Exam?

If you're like many people, you may wonder whether you need a well-woman visit if you already get an annual physical exam, and the answer is: you do. Well-woman care is one of the most important things a woman can do for her health and wellness, and each well-woman exam includes an evaluation of distinct measures of female health — like breast screenings, a Pap smear, and others. Along with an annual physical, which evaluates cardiovascular health and other systems, women are encouraged to schedule their well-woman visit each year.

Here, Kingwood, TX family care physician Dr. Wilmer Valentin and our caring team at Houston Metropolitan Medical share further information on the importance of well-woman visits, what's included in a well-woman exam, and when a woman may need to schedule her visits more frequently than once a year.

What happens during a well-woman visit?

While there are some similarities between well-woman exams and annual physical exams, the well-woman check includes several components unique to female health and wellness. Additionally, each exam is customized based on the patient's personal and family health history, age, stage of life, and other individual variables. Generally speaking, however, a well visit for women would include most or all of the following:

• Height and weight measurement
• Blood pressure check
• Review of health and medical history
• Breast exam
• Pelvic exam
• Pap smear
• Thyroid check
• Blood work
• Family planning/reproductive health discussion
• Mental/emotional health screening

Do you need a well-woman check every year?

Keeping up with annual wellness exams for women allows our team to closely monitor your health and identify potential issues as early as possible so that appropriate intervention can happen. For example, a yearly Pap smear and breast exam as part of your well-woman check ensures you are routinely evaluated for cervical cancer and breast cancer, respectively, which are more treatable when found in their earlier stages. This also gives you an opportunity to discuss changes in your physical or emotional health so that adjustments to your care can be made.

Who would need a well-woman visit more than once per year?

In some cases, our team may recommend that you schedule evaluations more frequently than once a year. This may be true for women who have a personal or family history of breast cancer, women who have received an abnormal Pap smear result, women who are experiencing changes in their gynecological or overall health, and certain other scenarios. Based on the findings during your appointment, our knowledgeable team will provide a recommendation on when to schedule your next visit or follow-up.

What if I miss my annual well visit?

If you miss a well-check or you're late scheduling your well-woman exam, try not to worry. Simply call our office as soon as possible to get on our schedule so you can resume your usual cadence and get the peace of mind about your health and wellness that you deserve.

Be proactive about your health with an annual well-woman exam in Kingwood, TX

With the busy, fast-paced lifestyles many women lead today — balancing work, home, children, and everything else women do — it can be easy to put off going to the doctor, but skipping out on well-woman care can have serious consequences. Take charge of your health and wellness now and in the future by calling us at Houston Metropolitan Medical to schedule your annual women's exam with our Kingwood, TX family care team, led by Dr. Wilmer Valentin.