Well Woman Exam
For women of all ages, making good lifestyle choices are very important. The choice to visit your gynecologist for an annual preventive health care exam is essential to a long productive life. It is often the deciding factor in preventing health problems and in early detection of disease. Well-women exams are the foundation for health, wellness and disease identification throughout a woman’s life and your gynecologist is there to help you every step of the way.
Dr. Ramirez takes his role as a specialist quite seriously. As a new gynecology patient to our center your first meeting with Dr. Ramirez will last between 35 and 45 minutes. He will conduct a comprehensive history and annual exam which will include:
- Breast Exam
- Pap (our office uses ThinPrep Pap system, which has been proven to be more accurate at detection of cervical abnormalities than traditional Pap testing)
- Any hormone or blood panels
- Birth control counseling if necessary
As part of your physical exam, the nurse will check your height, weight and blood pressure. You will then be escorted into one of our warm exam rooms. The doctor will first perform a breast and pelvic exam. If you are 21 years of age or older, you should have an annual Pap test to check for abnormal cervical cells. After the exam you will dress and go into Dr. Ramirez’s office to continue your visit. He may ask about your health history, diet, exercise, tobacco, alcohol or drug use, sexual habits and the use of any prescription or over-the-counter medications. At the close of the visit, Dr. Ramirez may suggest other tests depending on your circumstances.
PAP and HPV Testing
Sometimes the results of your Pap smear can be confusing or frightening. It it is important to understand the significance of this test. This National Cancer Institute fact sheet provides a good summary of cervical cancer screening, evaluation and treatment options. We will always call you with the results of your test and if necessary, arrange for a follow-up visit.
