HEALTH CHECK-UPS WOMEN NEED TO PERFORM EVERY YEAR

Every woman should make time for healthy habits – regular exercise, stress management, and choosing the right foods. A generation ago, people used to see their doctors only when they were sick or on the verge of their last breath. Today, Preventive Health Care (PHC) is becoming a common practice as people become more educated and empowered about their own health.

We doctors request that patients get regular check-ups, to help them stay on top of their health. Early detection gives you the best chance of getting the right treatment quickly, avoiding any complications. Scheduling routine health screenings which can deflect potential problems early in one of those habits. Regular screening may even save your life.

I’ve had many patients who diligently went for their screenings and it changed the course of their lives. Many of them have been diagnosed with breast cancer in its early stages and were able to undergo breast-sparing surgery and have had an excellent prognosis. Most people younger than 35 years of age are generally free from diseases that could be diagnosed by physical examination alone.

The purpose of the periodic health checkups

1. A primary preventive
2. To identify the factor for common chronic diseases – diabetes / cardiac problems / BP
3. To detect diseases that have no apparent symptoms (secondary prevention)
4. A way for the doctor to counsel people to promote healthy behavior
5. To update clinical data since the last check-up

The types of tests a woman needs depend on her age personal and family health history and specific risk factors.

Here are the 10 essential screening tests every woman should undergo in their yearly health check-up

1. Blood pressure screening

• Obesity attributes to an increased risk of hypertension
• BP of 120/80 mmHg or below is normal

2. Cholesterol check

• This tool is used to assess your risk of developing heart disease / stroke

3. Pap Smear

• Your doctor uses a speculum to widen the vaginal canal, takes a smear from the cervix using a brush and examines the smear for changes that may lead to cervical cancer
• HPV screening is also done

4. Mammogram

• Screens for breast cancer are included in women’s annual checks for above 45 years
• Especially if you have a family history of breast cancer / uterine cancer
• It is essential to talk to your doctor about starting annual screening earlier

5. Bone density screening

• Women should start getting screened for osteoporosis with Bone Density Test especially in post-menopausal women to prevent bone fractures at old age

6. Blood glucose test

• Helps in picking the prediabetic state itself

7. Dental check-up
8. Ultrasound of the pelvis

• To look at the condition of the uterus, tubes, and ovaries

In a pre-menopause / menopause women’s ultrasound pelvis or a simple scan of the uterus and adjacent structures can pick up fibroid uterus / endometrial polyp/cancer / ovarian cyst/mass at an early stage in the regular check-up.

By Dr. Nandhini Elumalai

Gynaecologist – Fortis Hospital, Vadapalani