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National Institutes of Health
Women's Health Checkup
Regular health exams and tests can help find problems before they start. They also can help find problems early, when your chances for treatment are better. As a woman, you need some special exams and screenings. During your checkup, your health care provider will usually do:
- A pelvic exam - an exam to check if internal female organs are normal by feeling their shape and size.
- A Pap test - a test to check for cancer of the cervix, the opening to a woman's uterus. Cells from the cervix are prepared so they can be seen under a microscope.
- A clinical breast exam - to check for breast cancer by feeling and looking at your breasts.
Your health care provider may also recommend other tests, including a mammogram or a test for HPV.
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Start Here
- Your First Gynecologic Visit(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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Overviews
- Visiting the Gynecologist(American Osteopathic Association)
- Your Annual Health Care Visit(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
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Latest News
- Doctors Too Pap-Happy, Survey Suggests(04/08/2013, HealthDay)
- Cutting Copays May Increase Women's Cancer Screening(03/27/2013, Reuters Health)
- Less-Frequent Pap Smears May Miss Cancer Precursors(03/07/2013, Reuters Health)
- More News on Women's Health Checkup
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Specific Conditions
- Mammograms(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pap Tests: When You Need Them - and When You Don't(ABIM Foundation)
- Pelvic Exam(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Ultrasound Imaging of the Pelvis
(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
- Also available in Spanish
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Related Issues
- Pregnancy Tests(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Also available in Spanish
- Tests and Immunizations for High-Risk Women(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Understanding Abnormal Pap Test Results(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF
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Videos
- Pap Test Results (Abnormal) -- ASC-H or ACG(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pap Test Results (Abnormal) -- ASC-US(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pap Test Results (Abnormal) -- Cancer(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pap Test Results (Abnormal) -- HSIL or AIS(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- Pap Test Results (Abnormal) -- LSIL(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
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Financial Issues
- Affordable Care Act Rules on Expanding Access to Preventive Services for Women(Department of Health and Human Services)
- Cervical and Vaginal Cancer Screening (Pap Test and Pelvic Exam)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
- Also available in Spanish
- Women's Preventive Services: Required Health Plan Coverage Guidelines(Health Resources and Services Administration)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Women's Health(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Women's Health
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Organizations
- womenshealth.gov(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Also available in Spanish
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Teenagers
- Breast and Pelvic Exams(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Why See a Gynecologist?(Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
- Your Daughter's First Gynecological Exam(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
- Your First Pelvic Exam: A Guide for Teens(Children's Hospital Boston)
- Also available in Spanish
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Seniors
- What to Ask: Women's Health(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)
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Patient Handouts
- Cervical cancer -- screening and prevention
- Also available in Spanish
- Health screening - women - age 18 - 39
- Also available in Spanish
- Health screening - women - age 40 - 64
- Also available in Spanish
- Health screening - women - over 65
- Also available in Spanish
- Women's health
- Also available in Spanish
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Languages
Women's Health Checkup - Multiple Languages
