Ladies, listen up! When it comes to our health, we need to make ourselves a priority.<\/p>\n
If you don’t remember the last time you paid a visit to your gynecologist, you should def make an appointment.\u00a0September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month and\u00a0it’s important to have regular checkups to know how healthy your body is and if you need to take any immediate action.<\/p>\n
We know that a trip to the gyno is anything but comfortable…so just think of your appointment\u00a0as a physical for your lady parts! We reached out to Dr. Sharyn Lewin<\/a>,\u00a0Gynecologic Oncologist at Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey, to chat about why seeing the gynecologist is crucial and what happens if we skip our appointment.<\/p>\n Don’t Flake<\/strong> Annual Appointments<\/strong> Cancer Screenings<\/strong>
\nDr. Lewin said\u00a0that a recent survey conducted by Genentech and the Foundation for Women\u2019s Cancer found that almost half of women claimed they haven\u2019t seen their gynecologist in the last 12 months because they couldn\u2019t find the time. These annual visits are essential in maintaining reproductive health as well as learning about the early signs and symptoms of gynecological cancers.<\/p>\n
\nIf you’ve recently been to the gynecologist, they might\u00a0have told you that pap smears can be done every three years<\/a> instead of every year. Dr. Lewin notes, “Low risk women can space out pap smears but you still need to go to the gynecologist for a pelvic exam to feel uterus and ovaries, cancer prevention, and to maintain healthy lifestyle every year.”<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lewin told us that cervical cancer in the U.S. can\u00a0be prevented. “If women were getting\u00a0pap smears and annual exams regularly and\u00a0getting the HPV vaccine, cervical cancer could be eradicated.” Checkups with\u00a0the gynecologist\u00a0isn’t just for your period health, when you’re pregnant, or need birth control — it could save your life.<\/p>\n