Annual gynecological exams help you stay on top of your health. If you’re between providers, without health insurance, or can’t get an appointment with your usual gynecologist, the team at FemGYN located in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York, can help. The team are women’s health experts and provide thorough examinations to help you stay well.

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Why do I need an annual gynecological exam?

Women have special health care needs, and the annual gynecological exam focuses on these specific needs. Even if you don’t have any health concerns, getting checked annually helps you maintain good reproductive and sexual health.

What can I expect during my annual exam?

Because you have very specific health needs, no one gynecological exam is like another. But there are routine tests and evaluations that you can expect during your annual exam at FemGYN: For Her Wellness.

To get a full picture of your health, your health care specialist at FemGYN completes a physical and pelvic exam.

During your pelvic exam, your specialist is evaluating the health of your reproductive organs. This includes a visual assessment of your external genitalia, as well as an examination of your internal organs through a speculum, which is an instrument that gets inserted in your vagina and separates the walls so your specialist can examine your cervix. Your specialist also palpates your organs to assess for size and abnormalities.

During the pelvic exam, your specialist may take a sample of cells from your cervix, which is referred to as Pap smear. A breast exam to check for lumps and risk of breast cancer also is conducted during your annual exam.

Your health care specialist talks to you about your health and any concerns you may have, such as sexually transmitted diseases, changes in menstruation, and birth control.

What is a Pap smear?

A Pap smear is a gynecological test that checks for precancerous cells in the cervix. Women should begin getting Pap smears at age 21 and continue every three years until age 30. After age 30, women need a pap smear every five years until age 65. You may need to get tested more often if cell abnormalities are found during one of your tests.

What if I need a special test?

Depending on your age and health, your specialist may recommend additional testing, such as a mammogram, colonoscopy, or bone density test. FemGYN doesn’t offer these highly specialized tests at the office, but can refer you to other expert providers in the area.