Please make separate appointments – one for your annual examination – and a separate appointment for any specific gynecologic issues. Some insurance companies will not cover the specific problem when it is addressed at the same appointment as the yearly examination.

Your yearly Well-Woman exam may include:

• Breast and pelvic exam
• PAP smear beginning at age 21. A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a procedure to test for cervical cancer in women. A Pap smear involves collecting cells from your cervix — the lower, narrow end of your uterus that’s at the top of your vagina.
• HPV screening begins at age 30 and then at least every five years depending on PAP test results. The human papillomavirus (HPV) test detects the presence of a virus that can lead to the development of genital warts, abnormal cervical cells or cervical cancer if not detected and treated early.
• STD (sexually transmitted disease) testing begins when the patient becomes sexually active.
• FOBT (Fecal occult blood test) checks stool samples for hidden signs of blood that may indicate some types of colon cancer or polyps.