Pregnancies Health Care Exams Women of all ages sometimes seek medical help only for pregnancy or gynecological issues. Don't neglect your routine health care during these busy years. According to the National Women's Health Information Center, these are the routine checkups that every woman needs.
Most experts recommend an annual physical by a health care practitioner.
In addition to the tests listed below this should include pelvic, rectal, skin, and blood pressure evaluations. Pelvic exams, along with routine pap tests, evaluate the health of the female reproductive tract and help identify sexually transmitted diseases, cancer, or other abnormalities. Rectal exams are recommended annually for women over age 50, earlier if you have inflammatory bowel disease or a first-degree relative with colon cancer. Skin examinations should also be performed annually to check moles or suspicious growths. Your doctor should perform a professional exam of your breasts annually and you should perform a breast self-exam every month.