In honor of #SelfcareSaturday I wanted to share this post which was inspired by my week of routine checkups — specifically my Well Woman exam!
I went to my OBGYN for my appointment but if you don’t have one, any Planned Parenthood in your area would be happy to take you! The cost will vary depending on whether you have insurance or not and what that insurance is. But don’t be discouraged! You could be eligible for free or low cost services.
Please view:
1. These moving figures on the importance of these visits & more (retrieved from an article about the important:
(retrieved from: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/8614/2178/0677/CREATING_A_Nation_of_Well_Women.pdf)!
2. These helpful methods for self breast examinations.
TIP: Try to examine or just feel your breasts once a month at different times during your cycle. This allows you to become familiar with what’s normal for you at these different points. My doctor described concerning occurrences as “anything that feels like a chewed up piece of gum” and I won’t forget that.
Planned Parenthood recommends that you do the following things to prepare for your visit:
“You don’t need to do much to get ready for a well-woman visit. But here are some tips to make your well-woman visit go as smoothly as possible.
•1. Go on a day when you don’t have your period, or it’s at least fairly light — unless you have a bleeding problem that your doctor or nurse wants to see.
•2. Make a list of the questions you want to ask your doctor or nurse. Write them down so that it’s easier to remember them during your appointment.
•3. Ask if you can have a friend or parent in the room with you if that would make you feel more comfortable. moving figures on the importance of Well Woman Exams!”
It generally consists of:
1. Pelvic exam
2. Pap smear
3. Beast exam
4. HIV testing/other STIs
If you haven’t had one this year schedule your Well Woman Exam soon!
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