When Annual Exams Need Special Testing

Annual gynecology exams at OB/GYN Associates of Conroe play a critical role in helping women stay healthy through every stage of life, helping Dr. Roberts identify potential issues in their earliest stages. While most annual exams don’t involve followup, there are times when additional testing is warranted. 

Understanding when and why we order testing can go a long way toward helping you feel more confident about your care and more relaxed about testing results. Here’s when additional testing may be ordered.

Abnormal Pap smear results

Pap smears are a regular part of annual exams, helping identify unusual changes in your cervix (the opening of your uterus). These tests help identify abnormal cell changes that could be an early sign of cervical cancer.

Abnormal Pap smear results don’t always mean you have cancer; in fact, they’re usually due to benign causes, like hormonal fluctuations or yeast infections. However, if your Pap smear evaluation is abnormal, we do order additional testing, like a repeat Pap smear or a visual exam called a colposcopy, to determine the cause.

Abnormal bleeding

Vaginal bleeding during periods is normal, but if you have bleeding between periods, if your periods are unusually heavy, if your cycle is unusually long or short, or if you have any other unusual bleeding outside of your normal period, these are all considered abnormal.

Once again, abnormal bleeding doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious underlying problem. Still, it needs to be medically evaluated to rule out potential problems, like cancer or endometriosis. If the medical history you provide during your annual exam includes unusual bleeding, we can order additional tests, like ultrasounds or blood tests, to help determine the cause.

Other unusual symptoms

Abnormal bleeding is just one possible symptom that benefits from additional testing. Other symptoms, like painful intercourse or bleeding following intercourse, chronic pelvic pain, or sensations of pressure in your lower belly or vagina are other potential reasons for followup testing and evaluation.

Depending on your specific concerns, we may recommend tests and evaluations like ultrasound or other diagnostic imaging exams, hormone testing, or STD testing. 

Fertility concerns

Your annual exam is an ideal time to talk to Dr. Roberts about family planning and any fertility concerns you may have. If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to conceive, we may order exams or lab tests to help identify the underlying cause. 

It's important to note, though, that for most women, infertility is typically defined as being unable to conceive after 12 consecutive months of trying to get pregnant. If you’ve just begun trying to conceive, we may not order tests right away.

Menopause symptoms

Many women mistakenly believe they won’t need annual gynecology exams once they reach menopause, but that’s absolutely incorrect. In fact, during menopause, some health risks actually increase.

During your annual exam, we’ll ask about any unusual symptoms you’re having, like pelvic pain, vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding, or breast changes that may need additional tests. Depending on your specific needs, Dr. Roberts may recommend ultrasound testing or biopsies of your uterine lining. 

Menopausal women may also benefit from bone density scans to check for signs of osteoporosis. And of course, if your periods are irregular, hormone testing is important for confirming that menopause (or perimenopause) is what’s causing those changes.

Family history

If you have a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, we may recommend additional testing to assess your own personal risk. We might suggest more frequent Pap or HPV tests or mammograms to monitor your health, or we may suggest genetic testing to assess your risk more thoroughly.

Underlying conditions

If you have an underlying medical issue, like obesity, diabetes, or thyroid issues, Dr. Roberts may order additional testing, as well. That’s because many underlying health conditions can affect your hormones, your menstrual cycle, and your reproductive system, too. 

In these instances, additional testing can help monitor your condition or provide a basis for adjustments for your current therapy.

Don’t ignore your annual checkup

Special testing doesn’t always mean there’s something wrong. Instead, tests are a proactive way of managing your health, especially as you get older.

The most important step you can take is to schedule and keep your annual exam so you can feel confident in your care and your health. To schedule your exam or to learn more about gynecological testing, request an appointment online or over the phone with Richard Roberts, MD, and the team at OB/GYN Associates of Conroe in Conroe, Texas, today.