How to check women’s health

There has never been a universal package for women's health examinations. The core logic is to "follow the stage of life + keep an eye on abnormal signals to make up for it." There is no need to spend money on unnecessary examinations just to make up for the project, and don't miss high-risk must-check items for the corresponding age group.

A while ago, I accompanied my 27-year-old best friend to choose a physical examination package. When she came up, she checked in HPV, TCT, mammography, and a full set of tumor markers. She said on the Internet that women should have all the tests to be safe. I stopped her on the spot. She had no family history of breast cancer, and had never felt a lump in her breast. She did not need to have a mammogram at all under the age of 35. A breast ultrasound was enough. Instead, she had been delayed all year round and gained weight quickly in her waist and abdomen. What she should have done was six sex hormones and an insulin release test. Later, the results showed that she did have mild insulin resistance. Adjusting her diet and exercise in advance would prevent her from developing polycystic cysts and affecting her subsequent pregnancy preparations.

Many people always regard physical examinations as a fixed process. In fact, the priorities of examinations in different life stages are very different. For young girls who have just started having sex, the most important thing is to have a TCT every year. A joint HPV test every three years is enough. If you have not had sex yet, there is no need to do a routine gynecological examination to avoid accidental damage to the hymen. At this stage, most people have irregular schedules. Instead, they should pay attention to basic items such as thyroid ultrasound, blood routine, and liver function, and don't wait until problems arise before regretting it. Let’s talk about a controversial point here. Nowadays, many marketing accounts encourage young women to routinely check AMH to check ovarian function. In fact, clinical guidelines do not recommend women with no need for pregnancy preparation and regular menstruation to do this test. Many people feel anxious when the value is low, which will affect endocrine, which is completely unnecessary.

When you are in your 30s or 40s, if HPV and TCT are negative for two or three consecutive times, the frequency of cervical cancer screening can be reduced to once every 3-5 years, instead of every year. Estrogen fluctuates greatly at this stage, so don’t miss out on the annual breast ultrasound. If you have coughing, leaking urine, or lower abdominal prolapse after giving birth, don’t be embarrassed. Get a pelvic floor muscle assessment. Several 35-year-old sisters around me have them checked during their physical examinations. If they do rehabilitation training early, they won’t have to suffer from urine leakage or uterine prolapse in old age.

After the age of 40, you need to add mammography and ultrasound for breast cancer screening, which has a higher accuracy. Cervical cancer screening must be done regularly until the age of 65. If bleeding occurs again after menopause, don't think of it as a good thing to "rejuvenate". Check the endometrium as soon as possible to rule out the risk of disease. Bone loss is rapid in this age group. If you often have back pain or leg cramps, it is best to get a bone density test. A few years ago, when my aunt was 42 years old, she felt that she was too young and did not check it. Later, she fell and fractured her bone. Only then did she realize that she had osteoporosis for a long time. She took calcium supplements for more than half a year before she recovered.

In fact, to put it bluntly, before choosing a physical examination, take three to five minutes to review your recent physical condition, whether there is any discomfort, and whether there is any family history. It is much more reliable than blindly choosing based on the online list. The expensive one may not be the right one. Only the examination that suits you can really prevent diseases.