Who else tells themselves, “I’ll get to that later”, “I’ll call them next week” or “It’s ok this once” and so on and so on? I’m raising my hand over here! Life is busy with work, school, family, friends and everything else you squeeze in between. Most of us feel like we are in charge of some areas in our life to some degree, but most of us let the area of health fall to the wayside. It’s time to take CHARGE!
Women’s healthcare professionals recommend you receive a well woman exam yearly to make sure you stay overall healthy! If you are sexually active though, you should receive STD testing yearly OR every time you change partners.
It is important to get tested for cervical cancer because 6 out of 10 cervical cancers occur in women who have never received a Pap test or have not been tested in the past five years. Cervical cancer, when caused by Human Papillomavirus, often presents with abnormal cells in the cervix years before cancer emerges. Regular OB/GYN exams allow medical personnel to find and remove these abnormal cells, preventing cancer and in many cases protecting fertility.
Studies have also repeatedly shown that women who prioritize well woman care are also less likely to develop sexually transmitted illnesses and experience unexpected pregnancy. Nearly half of the 20 million new sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) diagnosed each year are among young people aged 15–24 years. This is a scary fact, but unfortunately true. Women can have long term effects of these diseases, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, tubal scarring, ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. YIKES!
With all this information I bet your head is spinning a bit like mine! To sum it all up, go TAKE CHARGE and get a Well Woman Exam and go ahead and mark the calendar in your phone to do it yearly. You will be thankful when you hear that notification go off 365 days from now and know your health has been taken care of!