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What is a Well Woman Exam?
"I want women everywhere to know that real love means putting yourself first and prioritizing your annual screenings.” - Mary J. Blige
Specially designed for a woman’s needs, the exam is part discussion and part physical exam. It also involves any testing, counseling, or immunizations required depending on your age, lifestyle, and medical history. Your Well Woman Exam is your personal health roadmap. It’s a way to help you stay healthy for the ones you love and care for. Your Well Woman exam can make a world of difference between living and thriving at your personal best.
How Does a Well Woman Exam Make a Difference?
Early detection through health screenings is the first step to the best treatments and outcomes. A Well Woman exam will provide screenings for breast, colon, and cervical cancers; osteoporosis; heavy periods and other health conditions you may be concerned about.1
Your medical tests can put you in a vulnerable position and waiting for results can be unsettling. But the relief from ultimately knowing, from being sure of what’s going on with your body, is what makes screening and testing so important. And keeping to a schedule as guided by your healthcare provider (usually annually) is part of the commitment you should make to yourself.
After all, your health is your wealth.
Real Woman Stories
What to Expect at Your Well Woman Exam
Depending on your age, the Well Woman exam may cover different health topics. Let’s take a look at what you can expect.
In Your Late Teens
This is likely your first Well Woman exam. Now is the time to establish open communication with your health provider. Be willing to have an honest discussion about your sexual and reproductive health – no topic should be off-limits. While your Well Woman exam will be designed with your unique health in mind, you can expect it to include the following elements:
- Evaluation and Appropriate Testing
- STI Testing
- Immunizations
- Visual Exam of Breast & Pelvic Area
In Your Twenties
Your Well Woman visits during ages 20-29 years may include family planning, contraception discussion, the beginning of cervical cancer screening and more. Be sure include contraception and family planning discussions during your Well Woman exam. Your exam may include the following screenings and tests:
- Pap Test
- Pelvic Exam
- Clinical/Self-Breast Exam
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing
- High Blood Pressure Check-Up
- Menstrual Health
In Your Thirties
For women ages 30-40, this may be a time in your life when you’re more sexually active, and you may have given birth or plan to become pregnant. Be sure to discuss contraception and family planning during your exam. Your Well-Women Exam may include the following screenings and tests:
- Pap Test
- Pap + HPV together
- Pelvic Exam
- Clinical/Self-Breast Exam
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing
- High Blood Pressure Check-Up
- Menstrual Health
In Your Forties
You may notice weight gain during ages 40-50 because of stress from juggling family, work, friendships, and social activities. Stress can lead to weight gain. So, during your next Well Woman exam, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about your mental health as well as nutrition and exercise. Your Well Woman exam may include the following screenings and tests:
- Pap Test
- Pap + HPV together
- Pelvic Exam
- Clinical/Self-Breast Exam
- Breast Cancer Screening/Mammogram
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing
- Colorectal Cancer Screening
- High Blood Pressure Check-Up
- Menstrual Health
In Your Fifties
For women ages 50-60, this is a time when you may begin menopause. During your next Well Woman exam, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about any bodily changes you’ve experienced, your questions about menopause and what you may expect. Your Well Women Exam may include the following screenings and tests:
- Pap Test
- Pap + HPV together
- Pelvic Exam
- Clinical/Self-Breast Exam
- Breast Cancer Screening/Mammogram
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing
- Colorectal Cancer Screening
- High Blood Pressure Check-Up
- Menstrual Health
In Your Sixties and Beyond
For women 60 or older, this is a time when your body undergoes changes that may include weakening of your bones, which could lead to osteoporosis. During your next Well Woman exam, make sure to talk with your healthcare provider about ways to strengthen your bones and lifestyle changes that can help slow down the progression of osteoporosis. Your Well Woman exam may include the following screenings and tests:
- Pap Test
- Pap + HPV together
- Pelvic Exam
- Clinical/Self-Breast Exam
- Breast Cancer Screening/Mammogram
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Testing
- Colorectal Cancer Screening
- Bone Density Test/Osteoporosis
- High Blood Pressure Check-Up
- Menstrual Health
Your Health is a Priority
Checkups Improve Women’s Health
While most women (88%) agree that checkups help improve health, 40% didn’t see a doctor last year. Worldwide, 61% of women — more than 1.5 million — didn’t get tested in the in the past 12 months.2
Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Screenings
A staggering number of women in the U.S. missed their annual breast and cervical cancer screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic.3
50% Did Not Schedule Screenings
A Hologic survey revealed that nearly 50 percent of the 1,000 U.S. females surveyed have not seen a medical professional for a health screening in the past year.4
Who is Hologic?
As a world leader in women’s health, we recognize the impact a woman’s health has on her, her family, and her community. With groundbreaking technology at the core, our innovations are designed to achieve exceptional clinical results, making it possible to detect, diagnose, and treat illnesses and other health conditions earlier and more effectively, saving and improving the quality of lives for millions of women.
To ensure that women’s health is prioritized, we created the Hologic Global Women’s Health Index and Project Health Equality (see below) to drive home the importance of women’s health, screenings, and access to care.
By helping to keep women healthy, we help keep the world healthy.
- Get Your Well Woman Visit Every Year. https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/everyday-healthy-living/sexual-health/get-your-Well Woman-visit-every-year
- Hologic’s Global Women’s Health Index 2020. https://hologic.womenshealthindex.com/en?atr=false
- COVID-19 impact on screening test volume through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer early detection program, January–June 2020, in the United States,” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743521001432
- The Well Woman exam survey of 1,000 U.S. females, conducted by Hologic, Inc. via Pollfish, January 2022.
The content in this piece is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. Please contact your medical professional for specific advice regarding your health and treatment. This information is not intended as a product solicitation or promotion where such activities are prohibited. Because Hologic materials are distributed through websites, eBroadcasts and tradeshows, it is not always possible to control where such materials appear. For specific information on what products may be available in a particular country, please write to womenshealth@hologic.com.