A woman’s reproductive health requires special care, and that’s what an obstetrics and gynecology doctor does. These specialists, commonly known as OBGYN doctors, can help protect you from breast cancer, cervical cancer, and other serious conditions affecting the reproductive system.

One of the most important services your OBGYN provides is the annual wellness exam. This exam, performed every year, includes:

• An examination of your pelvic area
• An examination of your reproductive system
• A pap smear to check for signs of cervical cancer
• An examination of your breasts to check for lumps and early signs of breast cancer

Your OBGYN may recommend further testing, which can include:

• Blood tests and other lab work
• A mammogram or breast MRI
• An ultrasound or other imaging studies

A woman should have her first annual wellness visit when she begins menstruating, and these wellness visits should continue every year after that. Visits to the OBGYN may be more frequent if you are:

• Pregnant
• Sexually active
• Going through menopause
• Experiencing signs or symptoms of disease

You should visit your OBGYN as soon as you can if you:

• Notice a gray, yellow, or green, discharge from your vagina
• Experience pelvic or abdominal cramping that doesn’t go away
• Feel a lump in one or both of your breasts
• Have breast tenderness that doesn’t go away

Your OBGYN doctor provides many more important services in addition to annual wellness exams. These are some of the other popular services your OBGYN provides:

• Birth control options
• Pregnancy counseling
• Prenatal care
• Birth and delivery
• Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases

If you are premenopausal or going through menopause, your OBGYN can help with that by providing relief from hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, thinning bones, skin, and hair, and night sweats. For menopause, your OBGYN may recommend:

• Medication to limit mood swings
• Medication to keep your bones strong
• Hormone replacement therapy to balance your hormone levels
• Lifestyle and exercise modification to help you maintain a healthy weight

Your OBGYN can do a lot to help you stay healthy, and it all begins with an annual wellness exam. Protect your health by calling your OBGYN today.