Women's Medical Associates of Nashville

Annual OBGYN Visit

The Importance of an Annual OB/GYN Visit

Preventative medicine is the best medicine. Finding and treating an issue before it becomes a medical problem is far preferable to the alternative. If a woman foregoes an annual OB/GYN exam, she deprives herself an opportunity to prevent or even stop illnesses and complications in their early stages.

Some women choose to only visit their OB/GYN every three years for a Pap exam. However, OB/GYNs screen patients for a multitude of illnesses and diseases—some of which can develop in less than three years. This is why an annual checkup is so important.

OB/GYNs Detect and Teach 

An OB/GYN can detect a variety of health-related issues in women. Many of these can be cured, prevented, or managed, but only if they’re     diagnosed and treated early. An OB/GYN can screen for:

  • Breast, uterine, and cervical cancer. The Pap test checks for cancerous cells of the cervix, but an OB/GYN also screens for breast cancer during an annual visit.
  • Sexually transmitted diseases. An annual screening can uncover even asymptomatic STDs such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. These STDs, even though largely asymptomatic, can cause infertility.
  • Bladder disease. OB/GYNs can detect the early symptoms of bladder disease and prescribe medication to cure or manage the illness.
  • Bone disease. OB/GYNs screen for the most common bone diseases among women.

An annual OB/GYN exam is also necessary for women on prescription birth control. Patients may need to change birth control methods, alter dosages, or reseat diaphragms. If a woman is having an issue with her birth control, she may be at risk for an unintentional pregnancy. Improper birth control can also cause other health-related issues.

OB/GYNs also educate their patients on everything from birth control and safe sex to menopause. When a woman enters menopause, her OB/GYN educates her on the symptoms and treatments and prescribes hormone replacement therapy. This therapy can help with the physical and emotional issues that occur during menopause.

An OB/GYN is a woman’s first line of defense against many of the illnesses and health-related issues that can happen over her lifetime.

Reach out to us to schedule your annual OB/GYN visit. We emphasize education and preventative health practices, and we can safeguard your long-term wellbeing. This is especially important if you’re expecting or would like to have a child soon. Offering preconception counselling, OB/GYN exams, pregnancy care, and post-partum follow-ups, we ensure the entirety of a woman’s health throughout this process.