If you don’t have a gynecologist, or you do and need extra care, you can walk in or schedule an appointment for the following exams:
- Gynecological exam
- Well Woman visit
- Breast exam and mammogram referral (breast cancer screening)
- Pap smear test (HPV screening)
- Colposcopy
- Referrals for prenatal care (before you have a baby)
HPV
HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus, is a sexually transmitted infection. Most HPV infections go away on their own, but some HPV that does not go away can cause cancer or genital warts if left untreated. This sounds scary, but you are not alone and treatment is available.
You can get vaccinated for HPV! Stop by the clinic on any weekday for a vaccine.
How will I know if I have HPV?
The only way to know if you have HPV is to get a pap smear test. This test is done by a doctor. The doctor will take a sample from your cervix or anus and test it to see if HPV cells are present.
I just found out I have HPV. What do I do now?
If you have HPV, your doctor will have you come back for a yearly, or twice yearly, checkup to see if HPV is still present. In the meantime, you should use protection such as condoms, dental dams, or latex underwear when having sex to avoid passing HPV to someone else.
In some cases, HPV may cause precancerous cells to grow in your body. If your doctor suspects there are precancerous cells, they will do a colposcopy. A colposcopy is like a pap smear test, but your doctor will use a tool similar to a microscope to take a close look at your cervix.
A LEEP procedure can remove precancerous cells from your cervix. This will help to prevent cancer.