What Health Services Do Women Need?

Everyone should go to the doctor regularly, but all people have different healthcare needs based on their gender. Women require certain types of care to ensure that they remain healthy. Fortunately, women's health services can provide reproductive care and counseling for women. Here are four crucial women's health services you could consider or take advantage of: 

1. Birth Control Prescriptions

Birth control is an important reproductive health tool that allows women to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Birth control is also the key to controlling the symptoms of many menstrual disorders. People who experience painful or irregular periods can find relief through birth control therapy. A women's health doctor will take each woman's individual risk factors and overall physical health into consideration to prescribe the right birth control for her. 

2. Cervical Cancer Screening 

Cervical cancer is a serious illness that typically affects older women, but it can affect all women of reproductive age. Cervical cancer screening is an important part of women's wellness. Women should begin getting pap smears when they turn 21 years old. During a pap smear, a doctor will collect a sample of cells from the cervical opening. These cells will be cultured to test for the presence of cancerous and precancerous cells. Early detection and treatment of cervical cancer can save women's lives.

3. Breast Cancer Screening

Breast cancer is another type of cancer that primarily affects women. Luckily, when breast cancer is diagnosed early, it typically has a good prognosis. Women can perform breast self-exams at home, but they should still have their breasts examined by a gynecologist once a year. Once women reach the age of 40, they should also begin having regular mammograms. Mammograms are a type of imaging test used to find breast cancer tumors that may not be visible to the naked eye. Some women with additional risk factors, such as a family history of breast cancer, should begin getting mammograms sooner. 

4. Pregnancy Services

Pregnancy is an exciting experience, but it can come with many health risks. Fortunately, local women's health services can provide care to pregnant women. Women can receive prenatal care to ensure that they and their babies remain healthy throughout their pregnancies. OB-GYN doctors can deliver babies in state-of-the-art facilities, and women will also receive the postpartum care they need. Pregnancy services can make the experience of pregnancy and childbirth as easy and painless as possible for women.