Don't Ditch Your OBGYN After Childbearing Years

Women who drop their obstetrics/gynecology care team after their childbearing years could be sacrificing specialized care down the road. John Monk, DO, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist at Franciscan Physician Network Crown Point Health Center, said a number of issues can arise as women age, making that continuum of care critically important to successful outcomes.

“Whether it’s menstrual cycle issues, vaginal problems or breast health issues, there’s a whole spectrum of women’s health problems that are sometimes difficult to talk about or that drastically affect people’s daily lives,” he said. “It’s very important, not only during pregnancy, to get regular obstetric care, but seeing a gynecologist once a year for well-woman breast and pelvic examinations is really important.”

Many women find comfort in having the same providers who delivered their children and cared for them during pregnancy continue their care throughout their lives.

“Women’s health issues are a sensitive topic and can be difficult or emotionally challenging,” Dr. Monk said. “Privacy and trust and creating safety in a clinical environment to express sometimes sensitive topics is really important.”

OBGYNs Not just For Pregnancy

In addition to prenatal and postnatal care, OBGYNs can provide a number of healthcare services including:

• Routine gynecologic care
• Problem-based gynecology
• Menopause management
• Wellness exams

“When most women think about obstetrics and gynecology, they think about having children or reproductive health in their 20s and 30s with cervical cancer screening and those things. But having established care throughout a woman's health span in general is important, not just when they're young and having children, but things tend to change in women's 30s, 40s, and 50s. Things that become important like menstrual health, breast cancer, colon cancer screening, cardiovascular risk and lab evaluations; as women get older, menopause issues.

“So, there are many women's health issues that change over time, not just having children and reproductive health in women's young ages, but also as they get older.”

Routine gynecologic care

“The recommendation for the pelvic examination, Pap smear, cervical cancer screening starts at 21 years of age,” Dr. Monk said. “We see many women in teenage years with menstrual cycle issues. We see plenty of teenage women with gynecologic issues.

“Seeing an OBGYN every year in a woman's life is important. The current recommendation is once yearly women annual examinations in adulthood. Most insurance coverages cover once yearly women's health examination.“

Problem-based gynecology

Dr. Monk said many women’s health concerns change over a lifetime.

“Most women's issues tend to gradually change over time,” he said. “In women's 20s and 30s, it tends to be irregular periods, fertility health and family planning issues. Sexual health issues like STD screening, vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, those kinds of issues in women's 20s and 30s.

“When I see women in ages 40s and 50s, it tends to be menopausal issues, perimenopausal issues, heavy menstrual bleeding in women in their 40s. There are multiple postmenopausal elderly women issues as well, such as urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and variety of other postmenopausal issues that go along with declining estrogen levels as women age. Breast health is always extremely important in decreasing breast cancer risk and those things so routine mammogram screening and breast examinations are extremely important, especially as women get older.”

Menopause management

“There's a multiple constellation of symptoms that can bother women throughout perimenopausal period,” Dr. Monk said. “For most women, it's a normal transition. You know, a period of one to two years where they get some hot flashes and then they slowly resolve over time. But about 50% of women have significant debilitating menopause symptoms that don't resolve over time.

“There's lots of treatment options for perimenopause symptoms. There's lifestyle modifications and there are some good herbal and soy supplementations that can help mitigate symptoms. Recently, multiple good prescription medications for menopause symptoms, including non-hormonal and hormonal treatment options. Menopause definitely affects quality of life and can sometimes be quite debilitating. So, I'd encourage women who it's really affecting relationships and quality of life to seek some consultation to discuss options that can improve their lives.”

Wellness exams

“Seeing an OBGYN every year in a woman's life is important,” Dr. Monk said. “The current recommendation is once yearly women annual examinations in adulthood. Most insurance coverages cover once yearly women's health examination.“

Depending on their health concerns, some women may need more frequent visits beyond an annual women’s exam.

While many women put their health care needs or appointments on hold due to schedules or responsibilities, they need to make sure that they keep their health a priority.

“In general, mothers and women tend to be the center and the rocks of a lot of families,” Dr. Monk said. “And women tend to forget about self-care and preventative healthcare. I think it's important that we remember to make ourselves a priority in our lives.”