Comprehensive wellness and OBGYN care for females of all ages
Going to the gynecologist (OBGYN) is not something you necessarily look forward to. But as a woman, this annual appointment is essential for disease prevention and your relationship with your OBGYN is a critical part of your healthcare at every stage in your life.
Although the guidelines have changed for Pap smears—the test that serves as your cervical cancer screening—and you may not need one every year, that doesn’t mean you should skip your annual well woman exam.
OBGYN conditions treated
- Heavy period bleeding and PMS symptoms
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Sexuality concerns
- Breast changes or abnormalities
- Pre-pregnancy advice
- Infertility causes and concerns
- General health and wellness, including immunizations
- Menopause
- Osteoporosis
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- Fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Ovarian cysts and polycystic ovarian syndrome (POS)
OBGYN treatments and services
- Pap smears
- Birth control guidance
- STD screening
- Pelvic examination
- Infertility testing
- Infertility causes and concerns
- Health/wellness examinations, including immunizations
- Mammography and osteoporosis screening
Do I need a pelvic exam every year?
It’s important to remember that a pap smear is only one part of your annual well woman visit—although it’s usually the most memorable. Pap smears are part of the overall pelvic exam, which is arguably one of the most critical components of your annual OBGYN appointment.
During a pelvic exam, your doctor conducts this exam to look at the external genital organs and to evaluate the health of your internal pelvic organs such as the uterus, cervix, ovaries and even your bladder.
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Ages 21-29
Recommended screenings for this age group
Pap smear test: every three years -
Ages 30-65
Recommended screenings for this age group
Pap smear test, HPV DNA test: every five years -
Ages 65+
Recommended screenings for this age group
No screening, unless you've had serious cervical pre-cancer or cancer within the last 20 years
Breast screening recommendations
We support recommendations that women of average risk for breast cancer begin annual screening mammograms at age 40. Baylor Scott & White Health encourages you to discuss the benefits, risks, and limitations of mammograms with your doctor.
Our high-risk breast screening program provides tools to help you understand your risk and connect with care that fits your needs.
Expert advice from our blog
Scrubbing In® is a place where hands-on healthcare discussions are happening every day with the people whose own hands are on the front lines of patient care—the doctors, nurses and medical staff who are saving lives and advancing medicine.
Female pelvic pain: is it endometriosis?
Let’s face it—pain is subjective and therefore, difficult to quantify. When experiencing female pelvic pain, many women find it challenging to figure out what is causing their pain and why. Is it indicative of a pathologic process like endometriosis or simply part of a normal process like menstruation?
5 questions to ask your OBGYN about childbirth
Having a baby is unlike any other experience—there is so much joy, emotion, excitement and anticipation built into a delivery. No two experiences are the same, and many women even have different experiences with each delivery. While we cannot completely prepare for what lies ahead during childbirth, knowledge and awareness are essential to embracing this life-changing experience head on.
How to cope with the emotional stress of infertility
The joy of pursuing pregnancy can quickly morph into frustration, as the days turn into weeks and months of waiting and hoping. You may be ready to make that leap into parenthood—but your body might not be.
Heavy periods and what you can do about it
For many, these few days out of the month are nothing more than a tolerable nuisance. But many other women, however, experience heavy menstrual flow that can be debilitating.
Is birth control right for you? Understand your options
Have you been thinking about getting on birth control, switching birth control methods or want to know if it might be a viable treatment option for your symptoms?
How to recognize the signs of postpartum depression
It’s time we talk openly about a condition that affects more women than you might realize—postpartum depression.
5 things every woman should know about cervical cancer and HPV
What is cervical cancer? Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers known to be caused by a virus known as human papilloma virus (HPV). There are about 200 types of HPV, including low-risk strains that can cause warts and high-risk strains that can cause cervical cancer.