It takes two for women's health

So, you’ve booked your annual gynecological (GYN) appointment and are ready to check “annual well visit” off your to-do list. But not so fast!

Some women have the misconception – or have even been told – that seeing their OB/GYN provider once a year is all they need for preventive health exams. But according to Thu Truong, MD, a family medicine physician with Baptist Primary Care, the two appointments have different objectives.

“Your primary care doctor will have a broader focus to gauge your overall health and wellness,” explained Dr. Truong. “Our goal is to get a baseline understanding of your health so we can make adjustments and compare from one year to the next. We also provide preventive care like vaccines and can make referrals to specialists when needed.”

“At the annual GYN visit, we manage our patients’ reproductive, contraceptive and gynecologic problems,” explained Felicia Fox, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist with FABEN Obstetrics and Gynecology who works with Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville. “Establishing a relationship with both a primary care physician and gynecologist is necessary as typically, we are focused on evaluating different areas for optimal overall health.”

In other words, it’s important to make sure both are on your yearly calendar. Let’s break down why.

The primary care appointment

Known as anything from a physical to a wellness visit, your annual adult primary care appointments should start as soon as you turn 18, following your previous well-child visits. This appointment covers a variety of issues and topics that aren't always discussed at your annual GYN appointment, including:

• Lifestyle habits such as weight, nutrition, exercise, sleep and drug/alcohol use
• Mental health screening and counseling (if needed)
• General safety issues such as domestic relationships, sun protection, sexually transmitted disease (STD) screenings and seat belt use
• Vision and hearing evaluations
• Blood work concerns, including but not limited to blood count, cholesterol, thyroid, blood sugar, electrolytes, kidney and liver function
• Referral to specialists (if needed)

“In addition, your primary care provider makes sure you’re up to date on all recommended immunizations," said Dr. Truong "We'll also recommend age- and risk-based preventive screenings like breast exams, lung cancer screening and colonoscopy. We keep track of all these things so you don't have to.”

It's also important to note that while some primary care physicians can perform routine women's health screenings, like breast and pelvic exams and even PAP smears, it's still important to keep up with your GYN visits because of their unique focus on reproductive health.

The gynecology appointment

Just like the annual primary care visit, the GYN visit serves as an annual screening and preventive health check-in to catch any potential problems before they become a concern. Both a breast exam and a pelvic exam, often with a pap smear, are routinely performed at that visit by a gynecologist, a doctor with special training in the female reproductive system.

"When seeing your gynecologist for your annual exam, we typically evaluate more specific female-anatomy-related concerns and try to help identify areas that might require further evaluation, work-up or treatment," Dr. Fox said. "Comprehensive gynecologic care is vast and, for most women, encompasses many of their issues when they see a physician. To give patients ample time to address all of the concerns identified during an annual exam, we schedule follow-up appointments with specific testing or treatment options discussed at that time.”

Along with the routine pelvic and breast exams, patients may have additional items to discuss such as:

• Pelvic pain
• Fertility concerns
• Hormonal problems
• Contraceptive issues
• Heavy bleeding or other menstrual concerns

"A plan of care to address these can be made at that appointment so all of those issues are thoroughly evaluated with the proper protocols and testing," explained Dr. Fox.

Although routine cervical cancer screenings are recommended starting at age 21, a first visit to the gynecologist can happen much younger.

"I often see teenagers in my office to address a wide array of symptoms, including everything from irregular cycles to contraceptive care," Dr. Fox said. “Often, this might not include a pelvic exam quite yet, but instead, it's a discussion around development and overall health.”

She added, "It’s important for all young women to establish a relationship with a gynecologist they trust, in a safe and non-threatening environment."

Even pregnant women should still receive their annual gynecological exams. Prenatal appointments are focused on obstetrics concerns, or monitoring the health of both mom and baby, and don't necessarily include a routine pelvic exam.

This recommendation doesn't change for your primary care appointment, either.

“It’s important for women to maintain that annual check-in to keep tabs on issues unrelated to the pregnancy,” explained Dr. Truong. “This includes mental health, lifestyle habits and preventive screenings.”

Your partners in health

Your primary care physician and OB/GYN work as a team to ensure your optimal health.

"We are so very fortunate to live in a city like Jacksonville where there are many physicians able to care for patients and all their individual and specific needs," Dr. Fox said. "We as gynecologists work closely with primary care physicians to ensure that together, our mutual patients' health concerns are met."

Dream team? I think so!