What is an Annual Exam?

For women an annual exam is more than a visit to a primary care physician. It is a look at the overall health of the woman’s body. Since women have many risk factors, it is important to have an annual exam that is conducted by a professional gynecologist or obstetrician.

Men may have annual exams with a primary care physician, checking the heart rate, blood pressure and general health of the body. This is a simple process compared the annual exam of a woman.

Women need to have a pap smear and a breast exam completed as part of their annual exam. For a pap smear, women must allow a doctor to take a small sample of the tissue from the cervix. This sample is then tested for cancerous cells. In addition to monthly self breast exams, a woman must allow her doctor to check for any lumps that may be cancerous.

After the age of 40, all women should have an annual mammogram. If breast cancer runs in the family, a woman should have one mammogram done at the age of 35 and then again at 40. Many women like to schedule mammograms and annual exams around their birthday. This is a great way to remind a woman that she has lived another year. Prevention and early detection of cancer can greatly reduce fatal consequences.

A woman’s health is not something that can be ignored. Just because she doesn’t show any symptoms or signs of problems, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Ignoring problems won’t make them go away, either. It is essential that a woman take charge of her body and get exams annually from a doctor.