A routine gynecological exam consists of a breast exam, pelvic exam, pap smear screening if indicated and any other female health concerns you may have at the time of your visit.particular health care needs.

You may have your cholesterol, glucose or thyroid screened through blood tests at this visit.

If you decide to have your cholesterol checked, you should be fasting for eight hours before this lab is drawn.

Please inform the nurse, nurse practitioner, or physician of any changes in your history or family history at the beginning of your appointment. It is important that we know any changes in your health history so that the staff can provide optimum health care services.

Monthly self-breast exams should be part of your home preventative care. Please notify the physician or nurse practitioner of any breast changes that you are aware of.

The optimal time for a pap smear screening is midcycle. If you have your pap smear screening too close to the time of your period, this could result in an unsatisfactory specimen for the pathologist to read. Intercourse should be avoided a couple of days before your pap too. Pap smear screening is a very important way to detect abnormal cells on the cervix. If abnormal cells are present, then the next step is how to treat them. Depending on the pathologist’s recommendations often just a repeat pap is necessary in a few months. The most important thing to remember is that pap smears can diagnose a problem at an early stage and cervical abnormalities are easily treatable by follow up exams and practicing safe sex.