{"id":909,"date":"2015-12-29T10:30:13","date_gmt":"2015-12-29T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=909"},"modified":"2026-04-22T20:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T00:48:13","slug":"well-woman-exam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/well-woman-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"What a well-woman exam is and why it is important"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most important things we can do to manage and maintain good physical health is to keep up on all of those routine checkups. This means going to the dentist regularly for cleanings, getting yearly skin checks at your dermatologist\u2019s office, <\/span>seeing your primary care physician for your annual physical<\/span><\/a> and, for women, getting a well-woman exam each and every year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a well-woman exam?<\/b><\/h2>\n

While <\/span>a standard physical exam is more focused on overall health<\/span><\/a>, a well-woman exam (also called a gynecological exam) is designed to zero in on health issues that are specific to the female reproductive health. The exam can be conducted by a primary care provider, an obstetrician-gynecologist , a women\u2019s health nurse practitioner, a physician\u2019s assistant, or a <\/span>certified nurse midwife<\/span> (a CNM is a registered nurse who has obtained graduate-level certification in midwifery; they frequently work in clinics alongside OB-GYNs).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whichever practitioner you choose to see for your well-woman exam, it is important to make sure they are up to date on <\/span>screening guidelines and recommendations<\/span>, because these change as new research comes out, says Lexi Garbus, a CNM in a private practice in Detroit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What happens at a well-woman exam?<\/b><\/h2>\n

At your well-woman visit, you will likely receive a clinical breast exam, a pelvic exam, and\/or a <\/span>Pap smear,<\/span><\/a> all of which are designed to help spot abnormalities that require further investigation (Pap smears, for example, detect <\/span>cervical cancer<\/span><\/a>). Your provider will also want to discuss the length and frequency of your periods, your sexual and reproductive history, as well as whether you are experiencing any unusual symptoms, such as breast symptoms, pain, heavy bleeding, vaginal discharge, or itching. Depending on your age and your needs, the exam will also include screening for sexually transmitted infections, vaccine administration (the <\/span>human papillomavirus<\/span><\/a> vaccine specifically, though some clinics offer additional vaccines), and a <\/span>discussion about birth control and family planning<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For patients who have reached menopause or are currently experiencing perimenopause (also known as the menopause transition), the well-woman exam will include a discussion of symptom management and treatment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some practitioners even incorporate other health screenings into the well-woman exam, such as mental health evaluations, drug and alcohol screening, and blood tests to check lipids and blood sugar levels. Finally, your provider will ask whether you are feeling safe at home. If the exams and screenings reveal anything that needs to be addressed, your provider will either create a treatment plan, order further testing (for example, a breast exam might be followed up with a mammogram\u2014<\/span>even if you are not technically due for one<\/span><\/a>) or refer you to another healthcare provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is highly recommended that [all] these evaluations be included, though the depth of the screening varies,\u201d Garbus says, explaining that every office has its own policies and protocols.<\/span><\/p>\n

With that said, be aware that while organizations like the <\/span>American College of Physicians<\/span><\/a> (ACP) and <\/span>American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists<\/span><\/a> (ACOG) publish screening guidelines and recommendations for things like Pap smears and pelvic exams, individual providers tend to make determinations on the need for these and other tests based on a) their own experiences and opinions and b) the needs of the patient in question, explains <\/span>Mary Jane Minkin, MD<\/span><\/a>, a clinical professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at Yale University School of Medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, for example, while <\/span>ACP no longer recommends routine pelvic exams for asymptomatic women<\/span><\/a>, many providers think it is prudent to conduct them as a preventive measure. \u201cIt is a joint decision between the provider and the patient,\u201d Dr. Minkin says, adding that she personally considers them an important part of the exam (<\/span>as does ACOG<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

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