Routine Care & Annual Exam
Routine well-woman care is the cornerstone to long term health. These visits give you and your practitioner an opportunity to discuss your health proactively and plan for a healthy future.
When performed regularly, screenings done at your routine visit are meant to detect problems early - and early detection can be a significant factor in forming an effective, minimally invasive treatment plan. All of our practitioners perform well woman exams which generally include the following:
- Urine test to test for sugar and protein
- A hemoglobin test, an indicator for anemia
- Blood pressure
- Height
- Weight
- BMI (body mass index)
- Comprehensive physical exam
- Breast exam
- Pelvic exam
- Pap smear (when indicated)
- Discussion of wellness topics such as lifestyle, birth control, exercise, diet, etc.
- Discussion and establishment of plans for any problems that are reported by you or detected on exam.
In most instances we recommend that a woman be seen for a routine gyn exam annually unless otherwise indicated by the practitioner. Insurance coverage may vary for routine visits and we encourage you to become familiar with your policy.
We also encourage women to discuss routine screenings and immunizations with their primary care providers. (Access the CDC's reseource page for immunizations for specific non-pregnant age groups).
In this section
COVID-19 Helpful Links and Resources:
- CDC COVID-19 Information Center
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 Information Center
- Baystate Health’s Resource Center for COVID-19 including updates, guidance, and hospital initiatives and policies
- The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology resource page for pregnant and breastfeeding women
- Resources for parents during the COVID-19 outbreak from the American Academy of Pediatrics
- Resources from the CDC related to mental health, stress, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Guidance for the general public from the CDC regarding the use of cloth face coverings to help slow the spread of COVID-19