Women’s Health Services in Fort Dodge, Iowa

The best thing you can do for your physical, emotional, and mental health is to take care of yourself and stay educated. Whether you seek answers about an unexpected pregnancy or ensure you are staying sexually healthy here at Obria Medical Clinics, we offer countless women’s health services in Fort Dodge, Iowa to help you be the best you.

At Obria Medical Clinics, our highly trained and compassionate medical staff are there to listen to you and your needs. Once we understand your unique story, we offer you guidance and services designed to help you get the right care you need.

If you are interested in taking the driver’s seat when it comes to your health at Obria Medical Clinics, we are ready to give you the tools you need to succeed. Below we go into detail on the women’s health services in Fort Dodge, IA we provide to our patients. If you would like to speak to someone regarding your health or if you have questions about pregnancy and the options available to you, we are ready to help.

Well Woman Care

An annual well-woman visit is a check up that focuses on the female reproductive system and sexual health. Well-woman visits don’t replace routine health checkups. Your visit will include:

• Medical history
• Family health history
• Relationships and sexual partners
• Use of Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
• Measurement of your height and weight
• Breast and thyroid exam
• Pap test and pelvic exam
• Discussion of health topics relevant to your age and risk factors
• STD testing if requested or recommended
• If a mammogram screening is recommended (generally for those over 40), Obria Medical Clinics will offer you a referral for further evaluation.

The annual Well Woman Exam is a fundamental part of medical care and is valuable in promoting prevention practices, recognizing risk factors for disease and identifying medical problems. The performance of a physical examination is a key part of this visit, and the components of that examination may vary depending on your age and risk factors. During this visit the physician or Nurse Practitioner will check your thyroid and perform a breast exam, pelvic exam and Pap smear. You can also be tested for STDs during your exam if requested. If a mammogram screening is recommended (generally for those over 40), Obria will refer you to an OB/GYN or low cost clinic for further evaluation.

Pregnancy Information and Services

A pregnancy can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences of a person’s life, but it can also be scary and overwhelming at times, especially if the pregnancy was not planned. If you feel lost or just have questions about pregnancy and your options, we offer many services designed to give you the information you need to make an informed decision about your pregnancy and health.

Pregnancy Testing

A missed period is the most common indicator that you may be pregnant, but not the only one. Here are some other common pregnancy symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Change of appetite
• Breast tenderness
• Fatigue

The caring staff at Obria Medical Clinics in Fort Dodge, IA offers urine pregnancy testing. If the results of a pregnancy test performed at one of our clinics reads negative but you still have many pregnancy symptoms, we may perform a blood pregnancy test.

Both types of pregnancy tests are aimed at producing the effective, evidence-based results. If you think you might be pregnant, get tested right away.

Obria uses a urine-based pregnancy test that is 97–99% accurate. A medical professional performs each pregnancy test and your visit will last approximately 30 minutes.

Urine Pregnancy Tests

Urine-based pregnancy tests measure the presence of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), a hormone produced by the placenta. Click here for detailed information about how HCGs indicate the likelihood of pregnancy.

Pregnancy Test Verification

We offer pregnancy verifications which are determined by the date of your last menstrual period (LMP). Some doctors or other clinics require pregnancy verification before allowing you to make an appointment with them regarding your pregnancy. This pregnancy verification is the official document that serves as proof of pregnancy for insurance companies, community agencies that provide services like nutrition, and employers.

If you think you might be pregnant schedule your confidential appointment today.

Pregnancy Ultrasound Imaging in Fort Dodge, Iowa

Ultrasounds are an imaging technique that uses a device to bounce sound waves off the developing fetus and create an image on a monitor; they can be used to help confirm pregnancy and transvaginal ultrasounds are, based on a study performed by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, completely safe for both the developing child and mother. Instructions concerning your ultrasound will be issued to you by an Obria nurse.

At Obria Medical Clinics limited obstetrical ultrasounds are performed to:

• Confirm pregnancy
• Detect fetal heartbeat
• Determine fetal age
• Determine due date
• Determine location of the pregnancy (intrauterine/ectopic)

The ultrasound examination will not diagnose gender, abnormalities, and/or problems.

Pregnancy Options Consultation

There is always more than one answer when it comes to pregnancy. If you feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to do, let us go over all your options to make the best decision for your needs.

Teen Pregnancy

Thoughts of becoming a teenage mother is overwhelming to say the least. You may be feeling a wide range of emotions, from shock, disappointment, and even thoughts of harming yourself. Embarrassment may be your biggest fear right now, being worried about how others will react.

Whatever you are experiencing Obria Medical Clinics in Fort Dodge, Iowa are a place that provides caring, non-judgmental confidential support for teenagers and women of all ages. Our medical staff is here to communicate with you and talk through your high running emotions.

If you are a pregnant teen, we want you to know that we believe you are capable of making your own decisions and knowing what is right for you. We don’t want you to feel your options are limited. When you come to Obria in Fort Dodge, IA, you will be respected and met by knowledgeable, caring, medical professionals who provide evidence-based medical services and education about your pregnancy. They will care for you and respect your ability to make your own decisions.

If you can, it’s a really good idea to talk with your parents about your pregnancy. Chances are they care about you and want to help you. You could also talk with another family member, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, school counselor, religious advisor, or other adult that you trust. Choose someone who will listen, be supportive, respect your privacy, and won’t be judgmental or try to put too much pressure on you.

At Obria, our licensed medical professionals are trained specifically for this support. If you need help speaking to your parents or loved one about your feelings, or about the situation, Obria medical staff can be a neutral third party and provide you with great resources at a time like this.

Our website contains lots of evidence-based educational materials and we encourage you to browse our many topics. If you have any questions, please feel free to call and speak with one of our nurses or schedule an appointment for a confidential consultation.

Parenting

Becoming a parent can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences. If you are pregnant and considering keeping the baby, let us help guide you to make healthy choices for both you and your baby.

On top of providing countless educational resources on parenting, we also offer many services designed to ensure the overall health of you and your baby when they are born. For example, we offer pre-conception care, prenatal care, and optimal health coaching for anyone seeking help. All these women’s health services are specifically designed with your unborn baby in mind. Here at Obria Medical Clinics, you are not just another number walking through the door. You and your baby matter to us. If you are ready to learn more about the joys of parenting, get in contact with us today.

Adoption

Parenting is not for everyone, and we understand that. If you are laser-focused on your career or have other personal matters in your life, becoming a parent may not be the best option for you. However, it is important to know that if you are not ready to be a parent or do not want to become a parent, you have more options than just abortion.

Adoption is a great choice for several reasons. First, adoption gives you the freedom to pursue other goals in your life while also giving your unborn child a chance to grow and thrive. Second, adoption provided a way for those who struggle to conceive a chance to become parents.

Even if you decide to go with adoption, here at Obria Medical Clinics, we still want to provide you with the same services we offer for every expectant mother. The health of you and your unborn child is our number one concern. If you want to learn more about the benefits of adoption or women’s health services in Fort Dodge, IA, we encourage you to get a hold of us today and let us support and guide you through this time.

Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening

Cervical cancer is the easiest gynecologic cancer to prevent, with regular screening tests and follow-up. Two screening tests can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early:

• The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for pre-cancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
• The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes.

These areas can be monitored by your doctor or nurse and treated before turning into something more serious.

Well-woman exams generally include a Pap test or HPV test as needed, starting when you turn 21 years old. Most people only need these tests every 3-5 years since cancer takes a very long time to develop. Your doctor or nurse will let you know how often you should be tested. Contact an Obria Medical Clinic to schedule an exam.

How is cervical cancer diagnosed?

If you have an abnormal Pap test or positive HPV test result, your doctor or nurse may suggest more tests or treatment. This testing can be another Pap test, an HPV test, or a colposcopy — a procedure that helps your doctor look more closely at your cervix to see if there are precancerous cells. During a colposcopy, they might also do a biopsy – a procedure to remove a small piece of tissue from your cervix. The tissue is sent to a lab and examined for signs of cervical cancer.