3 Reasons Why Preventative Women's Health Care Is Important

While all human beings need health care, women have additional health care needs that men do not. As a woman, it is always in your best interest to ensure that you receive the necessary preventative women's health care. You can receive these health care services through your OB/GYN or by visiting a clinic in your community that specializes in women's health. While many women live very busy lives in this day and age, taking the time to receive the health services that you need can make a huge difference. Some of the top reasons why preventative women's health care is so important include the following.

Discover Health Conditions Early

Women can suffer from a variety of health conditions, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, and ovarian cancer. The good news is that when any of these conditions are discovered and identified early, treatment can begin right away and the prognosis is often good. This is one of the reasons why pap smears and mammograms are so important — they are diagnostic tools that can determine if you have a health condition that needs further treatment. If a woman does not receive preventative women's health care, cancer in the breasts or reproductive system can grow and spread, making it much harder to treat when symptoms of the disease develop.

Screen for STDs

If you are sexually active, one of the things that you will need to be concerned about is sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). When an STD is not treated, it can cause a number of issues for a woman, such as pelvic inflammatory disease, which can harm fertility. Many STDs can be treated by taking a course of medication. Regular STD screenings will ensure that you know whether or not you have an infection so you can begin treatment promptly. It is especially important to have a full STD screening before becoming intimate with a new partner.

Discuss Birth Control Options

While having children is something that many women want to do, no one wants an unplanned pregnancy. Luckily, there are many different birth control options to choose from, and your women's health professional can discuss the different types of birth control available and help determine which type is the best option for you. Using the right type of birth control will give you the ability to control your reproduction and decide for yourself when you would like to have children. In most cases, fertility returns shortly after ceasing the use of birth control. 

For more information, contact a local women's health care service.