Female physical exams are an important tool in maintaining your best health. During these visits, your provider evaluates your overall health and offers screening recommendations specific to your health risks as a woman.
At Advocate Health Care, you have easy access to a range of primary care services throughout the Chicago metro area. Our team provides targeted, compassionate care to help you stay healthy in the long term.
What’s an annual physical for a woman?
An annual physical is an exam to check your overall health, even when you feel fine. These visits help increase the chance that your doctor finds chronic diseases in the early stages, when they’re easier to treat.
Why are annual checkups for females important?
Many chronic conditions develop before you ever experience symptoms of a disease. When you see your provider regularly, you’re more likely to detect a disease early. During an annual checkup, your provider establishes a baseline for your overall health. Returning year after year allows them to easily notice incremental changes that could be early signs of a health problem.
Why do women need a physical and a gynecology visit?
An annual exam is slightly different than a well-woman exam you get during a visit with your gynecologist or obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN).
Women should get both exams regularly because they offer different benefits. An annual physical provides a comprehensive view of your general health needs, while a gynecology visit offers a more specialized assessment of your reproductive health.
Female annual physical
During an annual physical, your provider:
- Checks your vaccination record
- Evaluates your risk of chronic diseases
- Examines your head and neck for lumps or any other signs of health problems
- Gives or orders preventive screenings as needed
- Listens to your heart and lungs
- Updates your personal and family health history
- Records your vital signs, height and weight, and the date of your last menstrual cycle
Well-woman exam
There’s some overlap between an annual physical and a well-woman exam. For example, your OB-GYN will also record your vital signs, the date of your last menstrual cycle and ask about any changes to your health record. But well-woman exams focus more on your reproductive health.
During a well-woman exam, your provider:
- Conducts a pelvic exam to check for lumps or other signs of problems
- Offers birth control options and counseling, if relevant
- Performs a breast exam to check for lumps or suspicious masses
- Performs a Pap smear, if you’re due for one
- Provides recommendations for managing menopause symptoms, if relevant
Can a primary care provider perform a well-woman exam?
Your primary care provider may offer some parts of a well-woman exam, such as a Pap smear or breast exam. Primary care providers can also prescribe birth control and answer your questions.
Gynecologists have special training to spot and treat conditions affecting your reproductive health. It’s a good idea to see a gynecologist along with a primary care provider to get a more detailed assessment of your reproductive health.
What happens at a physical for a woman?
A female physical includes all of the components of an annual exam, plus some screenings or screening recommendations for diseases that more commonly affect women. In general, your physical may include:
Health history update
You’ll complete a form or answer questions about your chronic disease risk factors. Your provider may ask about your:
- Alcohol and tobacco intake
- Family history
- History of health conditions or surgeries
- Lifestyle habits, including your diet and exercise routine
- Vaccinations
Mental health screening
Your provider may also screen your mental and emotional health. They may ask questions about your energy, moods and relationships. If you have signs of anxiety or depression, your provider can give you treatment recommendations or direct you to resources such as therapy.
Physical exam
Your provider will check your vital signs at every physical exam, including your:
- Blood pressure: Your provider uses a blood pressure cuff to measure the force of your blood moving through your blood vessels. Your blood pressure is in a healthy range if it is 120/80 mmHg or less. Blood pressure above 140/80 mmHg may require treatment.
- Heart rate: Your provider takes your pulse by placing two or three fingers on the inside of your wrist. For most people, a healthy pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Yours may be slightly higher or lower.
- Respiration rate: Respiration rate refers to how many breaths you take each minute. Between 12 and 16 breaths is considered a healthy range for adults. Taking more than 20 breaths per minute could be a sign of a heart or lung problem.
- Temperature: In general, a healthy temperature is around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Many healthy people have an average temperature that’s slightly higher or lower.
During a physical exam, your provider will also:
- Calculate your body mass index (BMI)
- Feel the lymph nodes in your neck to check for lumps or other problems
- Listen to your chest and back to detect heart or lung problems
- Look inside your mouth, nose and ears to check for signs of any health conditions
Vaccinations
Your provider updates your vaccine record and checks to see if you’re due for any immunizations. They may give you any necessary vaccines at your exam, such as the:
- Annual flu shot
- COVID vaccination
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination
- Tetanus booster
- Shingles vaccine, after age 50
- Pneumococcal vaccine, after age 65
Preventive screenings for women
Your provider will also discuss preventive screenings during your annual exam. They may conduct these screenings during your annual visit or ask you to complete them at a separate appointment. Depending on your age and risk factors, you may need:
- Bone density screening: Your risk of osteoporosis increases as you age. Most women need regular bone density scans starting at age 65. You may start screening earlier if you have multiple risk factors for osteoporosis.
- Breast cancer screening: Women with an average risk for breast cancer should start having screening mammograms between ages 40 and 45. Your provider may recommend starting sooner if you have a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Cervical cancer screening: Women ages 21 to 29 should get a Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer every three years. After 30, you may continue getting Pap smears every three years, or you may get a human papillomavirus (HPV) test every five years. After 65, you and your provider will discuss whether cervical cancer screening is right for you.
- Cholesterol screening: Your provider will recommend starting cholesterol screening by age 45 if you have no risk factors for coronary artery disease. If you have risk factors or signs of coronary artery disease, you may need to start earlier.Cholesterol checks are recommended every four to six years.
- Colon cancer screening: Everyone should start colon cancer screening by age 45. The gold standard test is a colonoscopy. Your provider may recommend other colon cancer screening options if you have a low risk of colon cancer.
- Diabetes screening: Most women should start regular diabetes screening at age 35. You may need to start sooner if you have multiple risk factors for the disease.
- Lung cancer screening: You may need a lung cancer screening if you are over 50 and have a history of smoking. Your provider will give you personalized guidance about whether you need a lung cancer screening.
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