Women’s Preventive Care

Starting in your 20s, we recommend an annual gynecological exam. This includes Pap smear testing for cervical cancer, STI testing, and a reproductive health discussion if you're considering pregnancy in the near future. Your doctor will also review lifestyle factors like blood pressure, diabetes risk and healthy weight – and if your personal or family history suggests a higher risk for breast or ovarian cancer, they may recommend a breast cancer gene (BRCA) risk conversation as part of your care.

In your 30s, everything from your 20s continues – with one addition. We now recommend high-risk HPV testing be performed alongside your Pap smear. This is also a good decade to stay consistent with lifestyle conversations around blood pressure, weight and diabetes, and to discuss any changes in your reproductive health goals. And if you're thinking about starting a family, preconception counseling is available to help you optimize your health before pregnancy, including genetic carrier screening if your family history warrants it.

Your 40s bring important new screenings. You'll talk to your doctor about when to start getting mammograms for breast cancer screening based on your personal risk factors. After 45, your doctor will recommend your first colorectal cancer screening. Finally, healthy menopause discussions become part of your care alongside ongoing monitoring of blood pressure, weight and diabetes risk.

In your 50s and beyond, the screenings you've established continue – mammograms, HPV testing, colorectal cancer screening and lifestyle monitoring. But this decade also brings health changes worth paying attention to: increased cardiovascular risk as estrogen levels drop, rising osteoporosis risk as bone density decreases, as well as changes in cognition, sleep and mood that deserve real attention. Your doctor will help you build a screening and monitoring schedule based on your history, your risks and your health.

Whether you're a teen navigating your first gynecologic visit or an adult managing a concern you've been putting off, you're welcome here. Our team offers confidential care at every age, including guidance on menstrual and sexual health and your right to privacy in your own care. If you're experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, or have questions about substance use, alcohol, tobacco, or safety concerns, including domestic or interpersonal violence, these are important conversations to have with your doctor – you don't have to navigate them alone.