Gynecology

What is gynecology?

Gynecology is the medical specialty that focuses on women’s overall and reproductive health. Midwives, nurse practitioners, and medical doctors provide gynecology services ranging from cancer screenings through pregnancy and childbirth care. Health care providers who specialize in gynecology have an in-depth understanding of your reproductive system and organs.

Women should start having gynecological appointments as teenagers. A trusted women’s health care provider can answer questions about their developing bodies as well as sexuality, contraception, and STDs.

As you get older, your women’s health care provider continues to help you care for your body and understand your health needs. They provide advice to help you improve, protect, and maintain your health.

What are routine gynecology services?

Your women’s health care provider at Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery offers a comprehensive range of services including:

• Well-woman exams
• Pap smears and pelvic exams
• Breast exams
• Contraception counseling and prescriptions
• Fertility counseling
• STD testing
• Treatments for women’s health issues such as polycystic ovary syndrome
• Treatments for urinary incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction treatments and advice
• Menopause management

Your women’s health care provider can diagnose and treat health issues including pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, and heavy periods. They also offer information on diet, nutrition, and exercise to help you improve or maintain your overall health.

How often should I have a gynecology appointment?

You should meet with your women’s health care provider for an annual well-woman checkup. During your well-woman exam, your practitioner checks your height, weight, and blood pressure. They talk to you about your health and if you’ve noticed any new health symptoms or changes in your overall well-being. They also perform a pelvic exam and breast exam.

If necessary, your practitioner performs a Pap smear and HPV screening. Depending on your age and sexual history, you may need a Pap smear every year, or you may only need a Pap smear every three to five years. Your midwife can provide advice on how often you should have a Pap smear and whether an HPV screening is right for you, too.

Why do I need Pap smears?

Cervical cancer and HPV, like most other diseases, don’t cause symptoms in their early, more easily treated stages. A Pap smear screens for abnormal cells that can cause cervical cancer, while the HPV screening tests for the presence of the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause genital warts or, in some cases, cervical cancer.

Pap smears and STD screenings are the most effective way to diagnose these conditions and start treatment before your health suffers.

If you have questions about gynecology or women's’ health, call Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery Service or make an appointment online today.