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Michael Freedman, MD
Yearly Pelvic Exams: Not Anymore
Evolve Medical Clinic
. https://evolvemedicalclinics.com/

Yearly Pelvic Exams: Not Anymore

Are you still getting pelvic exams every year? If you dread the indignity and discomfort of pelvic exams, there may be some good news for you. Recommendations have changed recently. At least three major groups have changed their opinion on pelvic exams – American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians and the U.S. Preventative Task Force (USPTF).

New Recommendations for Pelvic Exams

Your first PAP should be at 21 years old. From then until 30, it’s every three years. HPV testing, which looks for the virus that causes cervical cancer, should not begin until you are 30 years old.

From age 30-65, if your HPV test is negative and your PPA is okay, you’ll only need a pelvic exam every 3-5 years. Some guidelines say three years and some say five years.

Many women ask, “Shouldn’t I have at least a pelvic exam?” The answer, according to these new guidelines, is that it is not necessary unless you are having unexplained or worrisome symptoms.

After the age of 65, if your PAPs have been negative up to that point, you can graduate and be done with pelvic exams forever. That’s the good news. The bad news is that ovarian cancer and uterine cancer are still a risk. But studies show that doing a pelvic exam, blood tests, ultrasound nor CT scan make any difference in the outcome.

It is very important to note that the new recommendations refer only to routine pelvic exams for healthy women. These guidelines do not apply to women who are pregnant or those with existing conditions or symptoms that need to be evaluated.

Should You Keep Getting Pelvic Exams?

There is a lot of conflicting information right now. Although the USPTF recommends “more research,” many professors admit that this research is unlikely to occur.

The new guidelines allow doctors to spend more time to focus on the more preventable causes of death women face. With increasing evidence suggesting pelvic exams are not helpful, it is better to focus on preventing heart disease, colon and lung cancer and all the other highly preventable causes of disease and death women face.

New Guidelines For Pelvic Exams and Pap Smears

• No exam under 21 necessary.

• Ages 21-29: Pap every three years.

• Women 30-65: Pap plus HPV test every five years.

• Over age 65? If you have had regular cervical cancer testing in the past 10 years with normal results you do not need further pelvic exams or PAPs.

Please note that women with a history of a serious cervical pre-cancer should continue to be tested for at least 20 years after that diagnosis, even if testing goes past age 65.

Please note that these guidelines are only for women with normal results. If you have an abnormal result, or if you have symptoms such as unexpected bleeding or spotting, pelvic pain or similar, it is imperative to get examined right away.

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