Well-woman visits. A rite of passage. The pap test. This test has been rethought as the reason for it is to decrease the risk of cervical cancer and researchers have found that we can wait. Yes, wait! The annual visit, women should start having screening pap tests at age 21. (Sexually active women under the age of 21 can get HPV and then shed the virus before they are 21 so any abnormal paps before age 21 most likely will resolve.)
Annual exams are also to help with preventive medicine: monitoring blood pressure and body mass index, heart rhythm, breast exam and genital exam. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has comprehensive recommendations for annual health assessments. Available at www.acog.org/wellwoman
Dr. Leslie Greenberg's Blog 