Many people know logically that just like anything else in their life, their body needs routine maintenance and wellness checks to ensure that everything is running properly. However, in spite of this underlying knowledge, many women make a myriad of excuses for skipping their regular annual visits to the gynecologist. What many women do not fully realize is precisely why they are going to the gynecologist's office at all, let alone why they should never avoid their appointments. Ge to know some of the main reasons that you should never skip your gynecologist appointments in the future.

Your Gynecologist Isn't Just There To Give You Birth Control

Many women assume that the only reason to go to their gynecologist's office is to get a refill on their birth control prescription once a year. As such, if they end a relationship and are no longer sexually active or perhaps decide to try to go off of birth control for other reasons, they may not think they need to keep their annual gynecological appointments.

However, the reproductive health care that a gynecologist provides is not limited to birth control and pregnancy prevention. The annual screenings and pelvic exams you get at the gynecologist's office screen for abnormal cells that could be indicative of cancer, growths, lumps, or tender areas that could be signs of infections, cysts, or other issues, and the like. None of these issues have to do with your birth control pills.

You Should Get Screened for STIs Every Year If Not More

When you are sexually active, there is always a risk that you will contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI), even if you practice safe sex all or most of the time. Many women are under the mistaken impression that if they have an STI that they will know it from symptoms they may experience as a result of the infection.

The problem with this line of thinking is that many STIs do not cause noticeable symptoms. And the rate of STI infections in the United States is on the rise, meaning people are not taking the proper precautions to prevent getting and spreading STIs. While diseases like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are treatable STIs, many people do not get tested for them regularly and do not get treatment until serious damage has been done to their fertility or until they have exposed others to the infections.

Every year, if not several times a year, you should go to your gynecologist to get screened for these common STIs as well as for HIV. Genital herpes is also quite common. The testing process for this STI is more involved, but you should be tested for the disease every few years if you want to ensure you are healthy and that you begin a treatment regimen if you do have the virus.

With just these two key factors in mind, you can already see why it is so important that you do not skip your annual visits to the gynecologist's office. So be sure that the next time you think of cancelling your scheduled visit that you do not succumb to the temptation.

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