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Get your well-woman checkup
Get your well-woman checkup
Getting your well-woman checkup is one of the best things you can do to stay healthy.
At your checkup, your primary care physician (PCP) or gynecologist will give you a:
- Breast exam
- Pelvic exam
- Cervical cancer screening (Pap test)
You might not have any symptoms or signs of problems. But you should still get your well-woman checkup every year. It’s easier to treat problems when you catch them early.
Watch a video about well-woman checkups
Watch a video about well-woman checkups
This short video explains the well-woman exam and screenings you can get as part of this checkup. It also talks about our covered services for members in Mercy Care.
Or watch the Spanish version.
Ask your primary care physician (PCP) about other screenings
Beyond your well-woman checkup, you’ll want to do other screenings, depending on your age. From your skin to your blood pressure, screenings can help find problems early.
Learn about other screenings your provider may ask you to get.
Be proactive about family planning
Be proactive about family planning
Family planning can help you manage both the number of children you’d like, as well as the spacing of those children. It can also increase the chances of having a healthy baby. And improve your own health too, even if you decide not to have children.
The goals of family planning services are to improve pregnancy planning and spacing. And to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Here are some types of services:
- Contraception (birth control)
- Pregnancy testing and counseling
- Preconception (before pregnancy) health services to help people get pregnant
- Infertility (not being able to get pregnant)
- Reproductive health services, including patient education and counseling
- Breast and pelvic exams
- Screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer
- Sexually transmitted infection (STI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Plan your pregnancy
Start planning for your pregnancy as soon as you start thinking about having a baby. You can learn more about how to have a healthy pregnancy.
Check your bone health
Check your bone health
After menopause, women begin to lose bone mass. Osteoporosis can result from this loss. Bone strength decreases while the risk of breaking a bone increases. The first symptom of osteoporosis is likely to be a broken bone in the hip, wrist or spine. Usually, people don’t have symptoms or warning signs.
Ask your provider about your bone health at your next well-woman checkup. They may order a test to check your bone mineral density (BMD) if you have things that increase your risk of osteoporosis:
- Age: bone loss happens as you age
- Body size: slim women and men with thin bones
- Family history: if one of your parents has osteoporosis
- Hormone changes: go along with aging
- Certain medicines: long-term use of specific types
- Some health conditions: hormonal disease, gastrointestinal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, anorexia nervosa and some types of cancer
- Race: white and Asian women
- Lifestyle: low physical activity and chronic alcohol or tobacco use
- Low bone density: you only know through a test of your BMD
You can learn more about bone health and osteoporosis.
Not yet a member?
Learn about becoming a member in Mercy Care Medicaid plans or Mercy Care Advantage.
Learn about becoming a member in Mercy Care Medicaid plans or Mercy Care Advantage.